


The Firebird and the Lion

by ThaliaofCarim



Series: The Phoenix's Tale [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Cullen cares for OC, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Getting to Know Each Other, Helpful Cole (Dragon Age), Mages vs. Templars, OC is a MGiT, OC sees Cole like a lost Spirit puppy, Red Lyrium, Red Templars (Dragon Age), Sided with Mages, Templars (Dragon Age), Varric Tethras is a Good Friend, but he’s HER spirit puppy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2020-01-24 10:56:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 31,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18569989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThaliaofCarim/pseuds/ThaliaofCarim
Summary: Phoenix, or Nix, is a normal modern girl, or well as normal as one can be when having been named after the legendary firebird itself. But then again she’s also not so normal as she has a tattoo of the legendary bird upon her back along with other tattoos upon her shoulders and arms, she rides a motorcycle everyday instead of driving a car and has many other little “quirks” about her that separates her from the “normal” people. But when a drunk driver crashes into her motorcycle one night, she find herself in a world she thought only to be fiction: Thedas.Cullen Rutherford, Commander and ex-Templar, has seen many strange things in his life but a woman who claims to be from another world takes the cake. At first he doesn’t really think much of this woman, yet he can’t deny that there’s something about her that draws him to her like a moth to a flame.A woman named for a legendary firebird. The man who is called the Lion Of Ferelden. Two very different souls on two very different paths have finally met and only time can tell how this meeting will end.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Figured I have a story about a Dragon and another about a Gryphon and plenty about wolves (or women who can transform into them or are a wolf or see themselves as a wolf), why not add a Phoenix to the list? So have a story with a woman who is a Phoenix in some sense of the word. Not saying that she isn’t actually a Phoenix but only time will tell. Let me know what you think of the start of the story.

The roar of a two wheeled vehicle sounded as the rider guided it carefully along the wet streets on this stormy night. Normally the driver of the vehicle wouldn’t care about the streets being wet but this night the person knew better then to test their luck as the police were out and thicker then thieves. It was a holiday night and one of the most infamous nights of all holidays: St. Patrick’s Day night or “amateur night” as the person’s father like to call it due to the amount of young people who often waited until this night to go out and binge drink until the asscrack of dawn. Naturally, the person’s father had instilled into the person a motto they lived by and that was to never go out on this night unless absolutely necessary, unfortunately for the person, they were in need of a rather important item and thus it was necessary for them, or rather her as was soon made evident by the streetlights that loomed high above the person, to go out this night. Stopping as she came to a red light, she placed her feet on either side of the vehicle, now revealed to be a motorcycle and rolled her neck as she waited for the light to change. Humming a song to herself, she mentally counted down the seconds before the light would change but wouldn’t get to finish as the sound of squealing tires of a car going far to fast in one of the other lanes, the lanes coming towards her, caused her to look down in time to see a swerving white colored car came barreling towards her. Before she could move, or do anything at all really, the vehicle that was coming towards her had the driver, who was completely shit-faced, lose all control and rammed directly into the front of her motorcycle and sent her flying. 

Barely able to make sense of what had just happened, she felt gravity yank her forcefully back to the ground and hit the concrete with force enough to break some of her bones (of which the impact did). After doing a bit of rolling, the woman lay still on the ground though her vision was too blurry to see or do anything and that’s when she was grateful for the helmet and leather riding outfit she wore until she felt the warm sensation of liquid of some kind leaving her body.

Suddenly, shouts were filling the air but she just couldn’t make out anything more then someone shouting out for someone else to fetch someone or something. She thought she heard a gasp but by the time the sounds of footfall actually reached her, the woman knew what was leaving her body as the pain ripped through her. She was bleeding and the last thing she saw before passing out was the outline of a dark shadow looming over her. 


	2. One

The first few things the woman was aware of was the pounding headache she had and the sensation of bones that had been broken but had seemingly healed far to quickly to be natural. The next thing she was aware of was the fact that she was awakening in a cabin and was seemingly not dead (but she wasn’t complaining about that part as she preferred being alive). Opening her eyes slowly she looked around before moving her head to the side and saw a bald headed man with pointed ears leaning over a table. She wanted to say something to get his attention but it swiftly became apparent that her body had other plans in mind as she soon gasped in pain and he was at her side swiftly. “Easy Da’len.” He spoke softly as he placed his hands on her shoulders and sent a wave of something warm and comforting through her. “You were badly injured and are only just now on the mend,” he explained as she opened her eyes to see his face as he studied her closely. Before beginning his questions, not to get to know her but to make sure she knew who she still was and all the other questions that doctors were known for when it came to the severely injured patients they were tending to. 

She answered his questions easily enough, but when it came to her name he paused when she responded. “Phoenix. My name is Phoenix. But everyone I know calls me Nix.” 

“An intriguing name.” 

“My mother thought it would be interesting to name me after a mythological firebird,” Phoenix told him before closing her eyes. She was still so tired and just wanted to sleep again. 

“Get some rest, Da’len. You need it to regain your strength.” And with that Phoenix fell right back into sleep and dreamed of nothing more then her usual dreams.

When Phoenix next awoke, her headache was gone but she felt stiff and sore which was likely from the fact that she had been laying comatose for some time. "You're awake!" A new voice greeted her, and she looked over to see another unfamiliar person walking up to her. After they had spoken, and Phoenix informed of how long she had been asleep for this time. The person promised to send the one who had been in the room before and soon left her to her thoughts.

 _Where am I?_ She inquired as she forced herself to sit up, which was a slow and painful process as her back was still in a lot of pain, but then her shoulders and entire back began to burn and the pain that was there faded. Just as she finished sitting up the person whom she was awaiting entered and frowned as he saw her sitting up. 

“You should not be sitting up so soon.” 

“I can’t stay laying forever,” she returned calmly as he nodded to that. 

“This is true,” he responded as he walked over towards her, “However due to the extent of the injuries you were suffering, I would not recommend standing and walking by yourself for another few days.” Checking the strength of her pulse, he was pleased to feel that it was normal, but frowned as he pulled away to check her for fever. Pulling away he studied her for a moment before asking some other questions. She responded with what she would dare to answer with her major response being “I can’t tell you everything as I don’t know if I can trust you” to which he saw the knowledge and wise precaution with that response then he asked about her markings and she smiled softly. 

“They are tattoos well, all of them except for the one upon my back. I was born with that one.” 

“May I see it?” 

“It probably wouldn’t hurt,” she shrugged as he aided her in standing. She lifted up her shirt far enough for him to get a good look at the “tattoo” upon her back and his already wide eyes went wider. 

“I have never seen a creature like this, what is it?” 

“Where I’m from, that’s our version of the Phoenix. A legendary firebird said to be immortal due to its unique cycle of life and death.” 

“Intriguing...” the man pulled away from touching her marking and she allowed her shirt to fall. “I would like to hear the story of this creature one day.” 

“I can tell it to you know if you have the time.” With that the man, who she soon learned was named Solas, agreed to listen and was enraptured by the tale. “...Of course thats just one of many but all of them say the same thing: a phoenix is immortal because when they reach old age they burst into flames and from the ashes they are reborn. They never truly die.” 

“And your mother named you after the majestic creature?” 

“Indeed, or well that and because of the marking upon my back.” Phoenix was sitting down and watched as he handed her a cup of something warm. 

“Drink, it is only tea and will help to soothe your throat.” He explained as she took a careful drink. “You’ve had that mark since you were a child?” 

“Yes, and still to this day do not know why.” 

“If you would like I could look into it. I have friends in the Fade,” he noted her confusion and quickly explained what the Fade was and showed her what he could do with magic (and was extremely pleased to note that she took a keen interest in it) and then he explained about the different races of the world she was in and what the name of the world (and the place she was currently in) was. After a while, and once he had gotten back on track, he studied her closely for a moment. “Would you like to see if you have magic?” 

“If I do its most likely to be only fire and thats not something I’m willing to test out in a wooden building.” She informed him as he smiled. 

“Very well. Once I am certain you are able to walk on your own again, I will take you to an area were we will not put anyone or anything in danger of your fire magic if you can wield magic.” He watched her eyes sparkle with excitement. “For now, I will leave you to rest. Sleep well, Da’len. I will return in three hours from now to check on you.” 

As he was just about to leave, Phoenix spoke up, “Solas?” 

“Yes?” 

“Who was it that found me? All I remember of that day is a person above me but I didn’t get to see who it was as my vision was already fading away into darkness.” 

“It was the Commander,” Solas informed her as he nod. “Would you like me to find him and inform him that you are awake?” 

“Not right at this moment. I’m sure he’s busy and I wouldn’t want to get in the way of his work.” Solas smiled at her then as he bid her to get some rest once more before closing the door to the cabin. Looking in the direction he knew the Commander to be in, a thought struck him and Solas “hmn’ed” to himself before making his was in that direction. 

**** 

“That’s good to hear,” Solas watched the blonde haired human man sigh out as he studied the clipboard in his hands. “But why have you come specifically to me to tell me that she is awake?” 

Solas felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips, “because I will need a templar in a few days time.” 

That got the man’s attention. As he looked up, gold-amber eyes met Solas’s own blue colored ones and the man frowned. “For what purpose?” 

“Lady Phoenix is a mage but is not aware of just how powerful she is just yet. She has agreed to test to see what school of magic responds to her but has wisely chosen to agree to my advice of finding an area where her magic will not harm anyone.” 

“And you need a Templar for that?” 

“Would it not be wiser to have someone who would be able to negate her connection to her magic should it go out of control, Commander?” 

The Commander thought on that point for a moment. “Very well, but I will be there as well to ensure that no harm will be done to her.” 

“That is fine,” Solas smirked as he prepared to walk away. 

“Did you say her name was Phoenix?” Solas once more smirked as he fought back a laugh as her name finally struck the Commander. 

“Indeed. But only she can tell you why she was named that, Commander Cullen.” Solas felt the man’s eyes leave his back for a moment. 

“Is she...will she...” 

“Would you like to visit with her? I informed her that I would be checking on her in three hours time and its been long enough.” 

“I wouldn’t want to get in the way,” The Commander, Cullen, rubbed the back of his neck. 

“You wouldn’t, plus I believe she would like to thank you for finding her that day.” Solas looked towards Cullen who looked to his desk briefly before standing and making to follow him. 

“I would like to personally check up on her and see if she truly is doing better for myself.” Cullen said as Solas nodded and soon led the way back to the cabin where Phoenix was now dozing in and out of sleep.


	3. Two

A knock on the door jolted her from her dozing and as Nix sat up slowly, she saw Solas and another person walk into the cabin. “Did we wake you Da’len?” Solas inquired as Phoenix rubbed at her eyes. 

“No, I was just dozing.” She yawned and shook her head a bit to help clear away some of the sleep and get her mess of curly hair out of her face as best as possible which was considerably harder to do considering that it was oily thanks to the lack of a bath and shampoo. 

Solas nodded to that and smiled. “Phoenix, there is someone I would like you to met,” Solas turned halfway and waved over to the Commander. “This is Commander Cullen, and he was the one who found you that day.” 

Phoenix turned her gaze towards the man Solas gestured to and was surprised at who she saw there. _Apparently the game did not do him justice because. Wow..._ Phoenix studied the man carefully and he seemed frozen in place as she did. He was a good foot taller then her give or take (which wasn’t saying much as she only stood at five foot two). His hair was blonde, yes, but it was a golden blonde. His eyes were the color of the purest honey. His outfit matched what the AI version of him wore. And the lip scar was a perfect match to the AI version. All in all he matched or surpassed what he looked like in the game but she managed to contain herself at seeing her video game crush (just barely though). 

Once Cullen seemed to recover, he greeted her and she felt her insides melt at the sound of his voice. “Lady Phoenix, it is good to see that you are awake and on the mend. Solas has informed me that you wish to discover your magic.” His mind was reeling, the night he had found her he hadn't bother to look at her face after he hand managed to get the strange helm off her head and had rushed her to this place immediately, but now that he was looking at her, he felt as if she were a women he was not worthy of looking upon let alone speak to. Her hair was a mess thanks to having been laying in the bed for a few weeks straight, but he could see the signs that were infamously known which signaled that it was curly (though her hair was cut short in the back and  longer towards her face it made it a bit harder to tell) and was a strange red hued black but as he looked closer he could see that it was only dyed that color. Her face was unblemished by scars except what looked to be a very faint bite mark from the teeth of a canine like creature on the very corner of her mouth. Her eyes were blue but it quickly became apparent that they were the rare blue that heavily depended on how much light was around her as the seemed to fade to a lighter blue as the light reached them. “I came to inform you that I will be having a Templar accompany you both for when you do as another precaution.” 

“Alright.” That shocked Cullen and he frowned. 

“You’re...you’re not going to argue with me on that?” 

“Why would I? I prefer to be prepared incase something should go wrong. If there is someone who can help stop my rampaging magic if I lose control then all the better.” 

Cullen was floored. Never had he met anyone (who was a mage) who was so willing to just let someone like a Templar be around them so easily before. He mentally shook himself, “I will also be there to ensure that no harm comes to your person as well." Again he was floored when she said that she was alright with that but he wasn't as floored as he would be a few days later as he arrived at the designated spot for Phoenix's training. He noted that she was the first one there outside of himself, and frowned as he looked around for Solas but then he heard it, she was alone and singing but the song she was singing was not a song he recognized though it still lured him in like a moth to its death by a fire. A part of him didn't want to disturb her as she sang but he needed to.  _Just a moment so she can finish the song..._ He told himself as he listened to her. Eventually she stopped and he walked up to speak with her before Solas and the Templar he had assigned to come aid today arrived. They spoke about nothing until they landed on the topic of her singing. 

"You heard?"

"I was walking up when I heard you," Cullen informed her as she smiled. "You have a beautiful voice."

"Then out of the both of us, you are the only one who thinks that."

"What makes you say that?"

"It's just how I am," She told him. "I was often made fun of as a child because of my singing."

"And that made you hate your voice?"

"In a way," But then Solas walked up along with the Templar, and soon Phoenix's lessons (or rather the testing of which elements would respond most strongly to her if she did have magic) began. As she had predicted, the element that responded the strongest to her summons was Fire abilities with healing abilities coming at a close second, but the frost and lightning abilities just wouldn't come to her at all. Solas was amazed at that, as was Cullen and the Templar (who was in fact his second-in-command), but it also made them curious. "Why is that curious?" Phoenix inquired as Solas turned to her.

"Because all mages can use all parts of the schools of magic, not counting the forbidden one. Discovering that the Frost and Lightning abilities of the Primal school of magic will not respond to you makes you a curiosity. I have also taken note that your fire is different."

"Different? Different how?" Phoenix inquired as Solas frowned. 

"The color of the fire you use. Call to it and see for yourself." Solas told her as she frowned but did as he suggested, but this time as she called forth the fire, her mark burned for just the heartbeat of a second and sure enough the moment the fire appeared she saw that it was not the colors of a normal fire but rather it was the brightest white with blue streaks a person would never see upon the legendary firebird that was her namesake.

 _But then again,_ She thought to herself, _there is no one out there who could honestly say what colors a phoenix had to be so maybe there stories out there that involves one that was a white with blue colored phoenix._  

"Lady Phoenix?" Phoenix jolted from her thoughts and looked towards the speaker to see Cullen watching her worriedly, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just... well.. in all the stories I have ever heard..." Phoenix sighed heavily then. "Solas?"

"Yes Da'len?"

"Do you remember me telling you how my mother named me after the Phoenix?"

"Very clearly, is something about it on your mind?"

"There is now. In all the stories I have heard about my namesake, not one ever mentions a phoenix that burns white with blue." That made Solas curious. 

"Truly?"

"Yes."

Cullen looked confused now, "Pardon me for asking, but you're named after a phoenix?"

Phoenix turned to Cullen then and sighed, "Yes, but to make a long story short, I will show you the reason why and then explain." With that, she removed her coat, and soon turned her back to him and raised the back of her shirt up to her neck to show him what she was talking about. She heard the Templar gasp in wonder as Cullen approached her, she turned her head to look at him with one eye; he reached out but stopped before looking up to her and watched her nod, after that he carefully reached out and touched the "tattoo" and was amazed at the details he saw there. "I was born with that marking. It may look like a tattoo but its been there since I was born."

"What is it?" Cullen was breathless now, 

"A mythical firebird that those from where I am call a phoenix. Literally my namesake."

Cullen pulled away, still in amazement. "You were named after that?"

"Yes, though many of my friends called me Nix," Phoenix let her shirt fall back down and swiftly replaced her coat. 

"Da'len?" Solas spoke up as Phoenix looked over at him. "In those stories, what descriptions do they give about the bird?"

"Many though all of them basically say the same thing about the color. If I remember right the most famous legends about the Firebird states that it a vibrant colored creature, more often being a brilliant red with yellow, or blue with green or even just plain brown with a little bit of black. That last part I highly doubt though."

"Any other descriptions?"

"Only that its legs were either red or golden, and its eyes could be gold or blue, and depending on the teller of the story, the bird was as large as an eagle or a gryphon."

"No other stories describe it being any other coloration?"

"No and if there was, I never heard it." They discussed it a little bit longer, but eventually Phoenix felt tiredness creep up on her and Solas must have sensed it as he swiftly decided to continue the lesson another day and everyone agree. Cullen offered to walk her back to her cabin, which she gladly accepted and as they walked, she did not miss the looks he would sneak her way. When they parted ways, Phoenix went inside the cabin and promptly passed out while Cullen headed for the training grounds with his already heavily working mind on overload with this new information that had been discovered about Phoenix. 


	4. Three

_The first white and blue firebird... I will hunt you and slay you as I did the others... there will be no escaping me this time..._ Pearl white fangs flashed forwards and Phoenix bolted awake.

Looking around the room, she took a moment to gather her bearings and sighed as she slowly regained herself while her breathing returned to normal.  _Why is that thing haunting me again?_ She wondered as she shook her head and made to stand and dress for the day. Stopping halfway to standing, Phoenix felt a shiver run down along her spine and closed her eyes as she forced her mind to focus on something _other_ then the nightmare she had had yet again in her twenty-some years of life; scratching at the back of her head, a song came to her mind and Phoenix smiled sadly as she began to hum the tune softly before she quietly began to sing it. " _Una volta che avrai, spiccato il volo, deciderai..."_ If anyone of her world would have been with her and heard her they would have recognized one of the themes of one of her favorite games outside of the Dragon Age Series and Elder Scrolls Online: Sid Meier's Civilization VI. She had played almost ALL of the Civilization games, almost all of the Age of Empires games, almost all of the Heroes of Might and Magic games and so many more but she found she preferred the ones that were fantasy and medieval in their story telling or had the medieval option in their story tell.  _How ironic it is then that I end up in something close to it._ She realized as she remembered where she was. After she was dressed, she slipped out of her cabin and went for a walk, which started out around the town but soon ended with her standing on the dock of the frozen lake all while not realizing that someone was watching as she leaned against a pole while staring skyward.

Cullen's gaze landed on Phoenix as he watched her walk, seemingly absentmindedly, towards the dock on the lake. Frowning as he decided to see if she was alright, he soon felt his heart stop as she turned to look towards him as he drew closer and he swiftly noted the way her breath came out in puffs of white as the cold nipped at her peachy almost faded rose colored lips; he saw how the light of the breach "kissed" her hair and became like a halo as her hair moved in the breeze that picked up for just a moment. Her skin, already almost as pale as the snow, seemed even whiter in the green light that reflected back towards the sky, but it was her blue eyes which really caused him to become breathless as the light of the Breach reflected in the blue and for a moment, just for the heartbeat of a moment, Cullen swore that the world stopped as her gaze landed on him. He watched as some of her hair, on the left side of her face, fell into her face and remained there as it caused an overwhelming desire within him to brush it back behind her ear. "Are you alright?" The words came unbidden from his mouth and somewhere, deep within the fade, the demon that loved to terrorize his dreams, face-palmed.

"I woke up from a nightmare and couldn't return to sleep, but other then that I'm fine," She told him which caused him to frown. It wasn't the way she had said her words as if they had known each other for years, rather it was the fact that she had admitted to having a nightmare and now a part of him wanted to protect her from the demons that were likely to be attracted to her because of it. They spoke for a little while longer with him keeping her company until she was ready to head back to her cabin. After he finished escorting her back, as they stood at the door to her cabin, there was a part of him that wanted to not only brush her hair out of her face but really wanted to lay the gentlest of kisses upon her lips, but he barely, just barely, managed to fight those feelings off as she looked up into his eyes and smiled up at him. It was a smile that damn near melted his insides. "Thank you, Commander," she said as he returned her smile.

"It was nothing, honestly." Cullen replied before taking her hand into one of his and lifted it up to kiss the knuckles. "Until tomorrow, Lady Phoenix." With that, Phoenix watched as he walked away and mentally kicked herself into gear as she forced her body to respond to her will. She needed to get out of the cold, but the moment she was inside, she couldn't help but smile like an idiot. In fact, at that moment she felt both like an idiot and swore she felt her inner "Cullen fan-girl" squealing at the fact that he had just laid the gentlest of kisses upon her hand. 

 _I have to admit, though, that I would like... **NO!** Stop yourself right there Phoenix, he is the Commander of the Inquisition's Military and no matter how "former" he might be, he is also a Templar. There is no way in any world that I would have the shred of hope of being with him. _Phoenix frowned as she looked down towards her hands. "Even if I wanted to...I could never truly be with him... besides I don't even know who the Herald is..." She told herself sadly,  _But then... why is there some little part of me that wants to be his so badly?_ Part of her longed for it yes, but then again didn't _EVERY_ Cullenite? What, outside of the fact that she had just **_MET_** the man, would make her anything more then just "another mage" to him? Sighing heavily, Phoenix looked towards her bed and frowned before turning towards the desk that was in the room to see blank papers, a dark bound "book",  a quill, an inkwell, some writing (or drawing) charcoal, and a folded parchment on top of the book. Furrowing her brows, Phoenix walked over to the desk and carefully unsealed the note to read what was written within and felt her brows raise as her eyes widened at what she read in the letter. 

 _Da'len,  
_ _I came by to give you these items as the Spirits have informed me that you tend to write and draw when you feel like you are losing yourself, but as you were not here when I came, I have placed them on your desk, with some being place in the drawers. The book has blank parchment within it so that you may draw to your heart's content. The loose papers are for when you feel the need to write whatever comes to your mind, be it poetry, stories or even responses to those who would write to you. I would like to ask that when you can, to come find me as I wish to speak with you on a matter regarding your situation.  
_ _-Solas_

Phoenix smiled as she read the words on the paper and shook her head. "I'll go see to him after the sun rises," She told herself as she folded the letter back up and set it within one the desk drawers, which she noted was full of blank papers and a few more blank paged books.  _he just has me all set up doesn't he?_ She smiled as she set the note within the drawer. Whether fortunately or unfortunately, now that she knew what the items were for, she gained a sudden overwhelming desire to unleash her more creative side and before she knew it she was sitting down in the chair that accompanied her desk and was soon allowing her creativity fly free. She wasn't exactly sure what she was doing at first but it soon became apparent to her that she was drawing something. Pulling away to rub at her face, she noted that the sun was halfway to the midday mark and kicked herself. "Shit!" She cursed as she let the charcoal she was using drop to the desk. Just as she stood, a knock sounded on the door and she frowned.  _Who?_ She wondered as she went to open the door. Upon opening it she saw an Inquisition scout and watched him salute her before delivering his message. 

"Your presence has been requested in the war room, my Lady. I am here to escort you there as soon as you are ready," He told her as she wondered what she did to warrant being called to the war room. 

"Very well..." She glanced to him for his name and he swiftly gave it. 

" Scout Jim, mi'lady."

 _Oh my god...It's captain cock-block..._ "A pleasure to meet you." Phoenix smiled as she stepped outside of her cabin and closed the door behind her. "Let's head to the war room now." She told him as he nodded.

"Right this way," He beckoned for her to follow him and as she did she took careful note of the areas around her while part of her returned to wondering what she had done to earn herself being called to the war room. 

 _It feels like going to the principal's office all over again..._ Phoenix commented to herself as she inwardly smirked. Oh she hadn't been _TOO_ much of a bad child growing up, but she had had one hell of a mean streak, which most would say had been a mile wide, and thus had often gotten into trouble due to starting fights with the other children who often picked on the new kids. Not that getting detention had bothered Phoenix, she really hadn't given a rip, but now as she thought it over Phoenix realized that she had a bad rep back then.  _Give me some time, i'll earn that bad reputation again here in a heartbeat._ Now she was looking forward to that challenge she had set up for herself and mentally laughed.  _Oh I am going straight to hell, but might as well have fun along the way._

****

Cullen frowned as the scout left to fetch Phoenix, he wasn't sure why but he _hated_ the idea of the Herald meeting her, yet the moment she walked in the thought flew away as he watched her stop as all eyes landed on her. He watched as she looked from one person to another, landed on him and lingered for a bit longer then needed, before continuing on. Fortunately for them, the awkward silence that had settled upon the area upon her entrance was soon broken by the Herald who snagged all eyes as the man spoke. "So your Phoenix," he started up with a smile which she returned with a smirk.

"Give me some time and you'll eventually know me as "The woman with a mean streak a mile long" or "the woman with a" and I quote "bad reputation"," Phoenix retorted as the Herald laughed.

"That bad as a child?"

"No, I just never take any bullshit," Phoenix smirked as the Herald shook his head. 

"Then remind me to stay on your good side," The Herald smiled, before turning to properly introducing himself and the others in the room but she stopped him after he introduced himself. 

"I know who they are, Herald." She then swiftly proceeded on telling them how she knew about them and Cullen felt both anger and awe. "You can certainly try to look into my background," She looked directly at the one she knew to be Leliana, "But you will find nothing." Cullen glanced over and saw Leliana's eyes flash in response to the issued challenge but turning back to Phoenix he listened as she spoke a few more things before finally sighing, "...so its up to you what you do with me. My knowledge will be invaluable in the coming days, but if you allow me to help, I will warn you that there will come times where what I tell you will piss you off to no end. But understand this, I **_ONLY_** withhold information that is **_not_ **relevant to what is happening in the here and now. That means anything that will happen in say for example, a few months from now, I cannot give to you."

"But you do it for good reason," The Herald, Deyran Lavellan, frowned as she nodded while shifting her weight from one foot to the other. 

"Exactly. Believe me when I say its tempting to spill what I know now, and the temptation will always be there, but I will not say more then what is in the most intimidate future."

"And how will this help us?" Cullen inquired as his anger rose.

Phoenix met his eyes then, "Because its the only way that I can be sure that the Inquisition sees a good ending, not just as a whole, but for each of you as individuals as well."

Then Deyran spoke up with something that had everyone go silent, "But what about you?"

Phoenix looked away, "For me, I will just be happy knowing that I ensured that you all, and the Inquisition, see the good ending."

Deyran's eyes narrowed, "You say that as if you won't have a "good ending", why?"

"Because fate, itself, refuses to allow my family to have a "good ending". It will allow me a "good death" but not a good ending." What Phoenix wasn't saying (something that Cullen seemed to know automatically) was that her existence didn't matter and suddenly Cullen felt a new form of rage rise up. "fate is extremely cruel to my family, and luck is no kinder. It was pure luck that the commander found me when he did, and that is a debt I do plan on returning one day," She looked towards Cullen who frowned, "but I'm afraid that my luck is starting to run dry."

 _Not if I can help it,_ Cullen thought to himself. But later, after their meeting was over with, Cullen found himself looking towards where Solas and Phoenix were and his gaze landed on her as she focused on controlling the odd white and blue fire she commanded. Just as he prepared to turn away and focus back on the troops, a feeling of dread came over him and he glanced back towards Phoenix as a little voice in the back of his mind told him that the fire that she had within her would one day soon be snuffed out and unable to reignite. And that thought alone scared the daylights out of him though he couldn't say why. 


	5. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shortish chapter but have some fluffiness.

Phoenix was walking somewhere, where to she had no clue, but then again she never really did know where her feet would take her when she allowed herself to go on autopilot. This day had just been one trial after another and right now she just needed to lose herself before she honestly _LOST_ herself to the insanity that was life in the fledgling Inquisition. She heard snow crunching behind her and knew that she was being followed, but honestly she really couldn't be bothered to give a rip, that and she knew who it was as his footfall was hard to mistake for anyone else's footfall, the armor gave him away.  _Cullen Rutherford is following me. If I honestly gave a rip right now I would confront him, but I don't really-What the hell?_ She saw a glint of something to her left and turned to look towards it properly before realizing where she was (and completely forgetting about Cullen following her), furrowing her brows as she approached where she saw the glint, she soon came across the reason behind it just as the sound of whimpers reached her ears as the sight she was met with shocked and damn near broke her heart. "You poor thing!" She cried out as she went towards the creature that was laying before her. Even though she knew rushing over to the animal was a bad idea, she did it anyways and soon collapsed to her knees. "What cruel hearted person would do this to you?" She inquired as she realized what kind of dog this was. The beast that lay before her was, in fact, a dog, and not just any dog as she recognized immediately what breed he (as she figured out upon giving it a good once-over) was: A Mabari war hound and while apart of her was thrilled to finally see one, her mind was too focused on the fact that this particular one had been left out to the elements and the cold after having been trapped in a poacher's trap (which rightfully pissed her off with a capital "P"). As she spoke soothing words, she reached out her hand and allowed him to sniff her; as he sniffed her, he whimpered again and she felt her heart breaking even further before looking to where his back paw was trapped. "I can try to pry apart the jaws of the trap but I don't think I'm strong enough," She told the beast whose intelligent eyes seemed to beg her to try anyways. Moving slowly towards the trap, she kept an eye on the Mabari but the moment she gripped the trap, her focus went into putting all of her strength into prying the jaws apart. At first the jaws would not separate, and she bared her teeth in a snarl as she spoke, " _ **Come on you bloody fucking thing!**_ " She growled as she felt it slowly giving away to her pulling. Cullen, for his part, stood watching as Phoenix struggled to remove the trap from the Mabari's back leg, he listened as Phoenix cursed at the poacher's trap (while making a mental note to have scouts and soldiers check for anymore around the area as those were a danger to a person) and was amazed too see it slowly coming apart as she forcefully made the jaws open. Cullen turned back to watching the Mabari who leapt away once the jaws were open far enough for him to escape, and heard a loud  _snap_ as Phoenix released the trap and also leapt away from it before turning back to the hound, herself.  "Come here, sweetheart," She encouraged the dog who limped towards her with whines before laying down as she spoke gentle and soft words. "Easy, sweety, just take it easy," She spoke lovingly towards the dog whose stub of a tail was wagging endlessly as she pet him and loved on him, "I hope your not against me using magic," She spoke to the dog who watched her with a loving gaze, which had Cullen smiling as he saw what she didn't. "I need to heal that leg of yours, and it may feel a bit strange." She told the mabari who woofed his response. As she began to heal him, she told him all kinds of things (Cullen, however, was now leaning against a tree and listening to her with a smile on his face as he wondered how long it would take for the two to notice that he was there) but soon landed on a topic that had Cullen shocked. "You want to know something, boy?"

A whine of curiosity.

"Where I come from, we have stories of your kind. Ever since I first learned about Mabari as a little girl I wanted one."

Another whine.

"Yes, but where I am from we don't have Mabari."

A sad whine this time.

"I know, sad isn't it. My childhood dreams being crushed because there were no Mabari where I come from."

the hound whined sadly at that and Phoenix smiled.

"It's okay though, I grew up accepting the fact that I might not ever get the chance to have one of you proud and gorgeous and highly intelligent Mabari at my side."

A low growl was the response to that.

"What? You want to change that?" Phoenix inquired as Cullen watched on in amusement now. To any other person (who wasn't Ferelden born), her having an entire conversation with the dog as if he were a person would have earned her looks as they would believe her downright insane, yet to him, this was a perfectly normal thing. 

A woof was her response as Phoenix finished healing him up. 

"If you're sure, then I will welcome having you at my side. But I will have to think of a good name for you and that won't be easy as I'm not entirely sure what your name should be. I don't know your personality yet." Phoenix remained kneeling down as she studied the hound carefully and noted that he had a handsome dark brown coat with only a few white markings on him and couldn't help but smile as a name immediately popped into her head. "Balto." The Mabari perked up then and cocked his head to the side as she swiftly explained. "That is the name of one of the most famous and legendary dogs of where I come from."

A curious whine was the response.

"Balto went down in history as one of the most heroic dogs of his time," Phoenix smiled then, "It's said that he saved an entire town by delivering the much needed medicine despite the worst conditions. Nothing deterred him, not a frozen river and certainly not a blizzard that would have stopped the medicine from reaching the town that was in desperate need of it." 

A loud and proud "woof" escaped the Mabari then.

"He became so legendary they put up a statue in his honor and any dog named after him is said to have traits that are almost like his," Phoenix smiled as the mabari stood with tail wagging as fast as it could go. "Well do you like the name?" 

A happy bark was the response. 

"Then Balto it is!" She couldn't help but feel like a giddy school girl as she stood and watched her new dog bounce around at his new name. "Come on then, Balto, we need to head back to Hav- huh?" Just then Phoenix noted the glint of armor and damn near jumped out of her skin when she turned to see Cullen leaning against a tree and watching her. "Jesus fucking Christ!" She yelped out as Cullen fought back a laugh. 

"I see you made a new friend," he nodded towards Balto who looked from his mistress to Cullen, gave the man an unamused huff, before looking back towards Phoenix to make sure she was alright. Before she could respond, Cullen nodded towards the trap with a frown. "Thankfully you found him before any real damage could be done, Why don't we head back to Haven so I can have some scouts and soldiers investigate around to check for more of those and you can ensure that he gets settled in." 

"A sound plan Commander," What Phoenix didn't say, and what Cullen figured would likely happen, was that if she ever found the person who had abandoned Balto, she would likely rip them a new one with a vengeance. He swiftly stood straight and walked over and past her to yank the now useless trap out of the ground and turned back to her with a smirk that all but melted her insides.

"Shall we?" he inquired as she nodded, not trusting her voice in that moment after being witness to one of his ungodly smirks.

As Cullen passed by her, Phoenix felt Balto's eyes on her and turned to him. "What?"

A snorted huff was the response. 

Phoenix threw up her arms before shaking her head. "Let's just go, you can judge me later." She told the dog who woofed before trotting after her as they headed for Haven. 


	6. Five

Cullen was walking towards the Chantry for morning services when a sight captured his attention and felt a smile cross his lips as he looked over to see Phoenix sitting on a "wall" with Balto sitting at her feet watching (and waiting very patiently) her eat something that she broke a large piece off of and handed it to him. He watched as Balto took whatever she handed to him with a gentle grip before he began to mow down on it and could only shake his head as he watched the two. With Cullen's aid, she had managed to convince the others to allow her this one luxury (though it wasn't really needed as the Spymaster had been on their side the moment she saw the proud dog) with carefully placed words on how he would be a deterrent for any would-be assassins once word of Phoenix's "gift of knowledge" got out. Watching her as she shared her food with Balto, a part of Cullen wanted to join her just to speak with her or enjoy her company, but, instead (like the idiot he was), he continued on to the Chantry for services. A full week had passed since Phoenix had found Balto in the poacher's trap, yet she felt as if she had known him her entire life. He was a constant companion, outside of being her guardian and her best friend and every day that she spent with him at her side was seemingly more progress for her. Not only had the advisors noticed that she tended to trust Balto's instincts and always turned to the dog before trusting another person, two of them (specifically the two that were the Spymaster and Ambassador) had noticed that their fellow advisor seemed to be falling even harder for Phoenix then what he would dare let himself say aloud since she had found and rescued Balto, as if seeing her saving an animal had caused him to fall harder for her then what her personality alone had done and now Cullen had ended up being the brunt of teasing from the two women who were his fellow advisors. Did it bother him? A bit. But he wasn't about to stop them either, that would just be giving more fuel to the fire. Stopping at the entrance to the Chantry, Cullen turned back towards Phoenix to note that she had finished her food and had moved to the ground to allow Balto to rest his massive head on her lap as she sat on the cold ground. She was petting him while speaking soft and loving words and Cullen smiled once more before disappearing into the Chantry; what no one truly realized was that Balto and Phoenix had a deeper bond then even Phoenix knew. Their bond was deeper then just a hound and his mistress. No, their bond was on the level of their very souls. He was her doggy soul-mate, the animal that would always be there for her and it was a bond that was unbreakable. Balto "boofed" as he slept with his head on Phoenix's lap and she couldn't help but smile as her heart squeezed as she heard him do that. Humming as she started to pet Balto, she let herself start to sing and suddenly realized she was singing one of her favorite songs: _" **Tale as Old as Time"**_ from the original animated Beauty and the Beast from the Disney company. What she did not realize was that Chantry services were over and Cullen just happened to be approaching her only to stop dead in his tracks upon hearing her start singing the song. As Cullen stood frozen to the spot, it was as if his imagination suddenly went wild and all he could envision was Phoenix in a dress that revealed the phoenix "tattoo" upon her back. Though the thought of seeing her in a dress was a semi-welcome relief from his usual thoughts, Cullen forced himself to stop the imagery coming to his mind and instead forced himself to focus on what he originally wanted to do (which was hard as the image of her in a dress was now haunting him). But his original thought process had been completely destroyed by the image of Phoenix in a dress and thus, having forgotten what he had originally wanted to do, he headed back towards the training grounds to start the day off with training the troops.

Later in the day, however, would find Cullen leaning up against a wooden fence post of the make-shift corral they had for the horses that were present and was huffing out breaths as he stared down a horse that had thrown not only his soldiers, but him as well. "Face it Commander, he's just too wild." His second-in-command frowned as the horse, revealed to be a stallion, snorted out a challenge towards the two men while shaking his head. 

They could see the challenge in the stallion's rich chocolate brown almost amberish colored eyes and knew what he was saying despite the horse being unable to actually speak.  _Bring it on._ But then the horse's ears perked forward as his attention was grabbed by someone approaching.

"Commander?" Phoenix's voice softly carried over to Cullen who turned to see her approaching with a worried look in her eyes, "are you alright?" Phoenix asked worriedly as Cullen forced himself to stand up straight as Balto huffed.

"I'll be fine," He nodded as she frowned with a disbelieving look on her face, but he could see that she would not challenge that as her eyes searched for the reason he looked to be in pain before landing upon the stallion and her eyes went wide. Turning to the horse, Cullen and his second watched as the Stallion studied Phoenix with head turned to to gain a better view of her. Where there had once been a challenge in his gaze, Cullen noted that it had been replaced with pure curiosity. 

"Who are you?" Phoenix inquired softly as she watched the stallion's tail flick before he slowly, tentatively began to walk towards her as she softly coaxed him into drawing closer to her. Reaching out her hand over the fence, she let him come to her and was pleased to find that she soon felt his warm breath on her hand and arm before she began to run her hand slowly, cautiously, along his face and cheek. "You are magnificent..." Phoenix whispered as she pet the stallion. Now that he was closer, she could see that his coat was an ebony black with natural blue highlights, but the blue was damn near impossible to see unless the sun was directly shining on him. The stallion suddenly nickered and Phoenix chuckled in response before realizing that this particular horse was a _WILD_ stallion. "How did you manage to get him saddled and bridled?" Phoenix asked the two watching causing Cullen's second to recover swiftly and answer her.

"It wasn't easy, lass," the man explained as they all watched the stallion close his eyes halfway as she began to scratch under his chin. "But the Commander, here, was trying to break him in when he was thrown."

Phoenix looked over towards Cullen with a scrutinizing gaze and, suddenly, Cullen felt okay with the idea of a hole opening in the ground and swallowing him whole. Never had he felt the need to become smaller then what he did as she glared towards him. "I'm sorry to say this Commander, but your a fucking idiot. You can't just expect a **_WILD_** horse to be so easily broken as throwing a saddle and bridle on him and forcing him to accept you as a rider," Phoenix frowned before turning back to the horse who snorted Cullen's way then before allowing Phoenix to return to scratching him lovingly. Cullen's second busted up laughing and ended up falling to the ground as Cullen opened and closed his mouth with nothing came out as he felt himself become bewildered and mentally bristled at her words. 

Finally Cullen scowled at her and the horse, "And what do you recommend I do instead?"

"What do you think? What am I doing right now?" Phoenix snapped back as the stallion's ears folded back as if sensing her rising anger and it was then that Cullen saw it. _Phoenix was meant to be the stallion's rider_. "Show him some affection, **_EARN_** his trust. _BEFRIEND_ a horse _BEFORE_ you attempt to break them in, dumbass." Cullen's second was done laughing by now and was watching the three carefully. While he was sure Phoenix wouldn't use her magic, he couldn't ever be too careful. Especially since Phoenix was still just learning about her magic. The stallion seemed to sense this as well as he turned his head just enough to block Phoenix's view of the Commander and she suddenly protested the horse who snorted and it dawned on her why he was doing that. "Wait a moment," She frowned as Cullen went to speak. Frowning, Cullen waited for her to speak again and was rewarded as she realized something, "You're not entirely wild..." She said to the horse who nickered softly. "How long ago was he caught?"

"A few weeks at the most," Cullen informed her as she gently forced the horse to open his mouth. "Why?"

"He's four year's old and had a previous owner, but he must have never been ridden."

Cullen was downright confused now. "How can you tell that?"

Phoenix shot him a look. Never had she wanted to slap a person stupid before, but Cullen was cutting it close. "I grew up around horses, numbnuts. Never rode one, but grew up around them. A horse's teeth are the best way to tell their age, but I can also tell that he was a stud horse. My father would never allow my siblings and I to ride the stallions that were used for breeding, my father claimed that it would "ruin" the horse." Phoenix nodded towards the horse, "He's a breeder, a stud, horse. And, honestly, I cannot blame his previous owner, he's a damn majestic horse." As if her words had inflated his ego, the stallion suddenly stood taller, prouder, then before. "If you want to ride him, Commander, I suggest getting to know him first." With that she gave the stallion one last scratch under the chin (earning a happy sigh from the horse) before bidding the three males a "good day" and walking away with Balto hot on her heels.

Cullen's second took a moment to look from Phoenix to the horse, who seemed equally confused, before looking to Cullen who stood looking about damn ready to blow his top. "Little lass is a spitfire isn't she?"

"Shut up, Rylen." Cullen growled at his second, revealed to be Rylen, smirked. "Take the horse back to the stables. We are done here." With that Cullen hopped over the fence and stormed off leaving Rylen and the stallion standing there alone. 

"I would hate to see those two in a shouting match," He told the horse who seemed to snort in agreement before Rylen led the stallion away.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you all start telling me that its impossible to tell a stud horse from a normal stallion, let's just remember that this is a fan-fiction. Anything can and will happen.


	7. Six

Phoenix sighed as she walked into the local (and only) tavern in Haven that went by the name of "The Singing Maiden". The building, unlike it's in-game counterpart, was larger and had more room for more people yet the layout was pretty much the same. In fact, now that she thought about it, _ALL_ of Haven was larger then its in-game counterpart and it made Phoenix curious as of to what Skyhold looked like. As she walked into the taven, she could smell the stale scent of piss and vomit which were barely covered up by the smell of the Thedosian version of cleaning supplies and, of course, food (which her stomach kindly reminded her that she was there for in the first place). As she entered, the bartender looked up and smiled at her warmly, "The usual?" the woman asked as Phoenix smiled at her in return. 

"If you can please," Phoenix nodded as she went to take up her usual haunt while Balto plopped down at her feet with a huff earning a smile from the one who was his imprinted person. Phoenix sighed as she rubbed her face and a part of her wondered just what in the living hell she was doing with herself. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she felt a twinge of guilt begin to plague her and frowned but before she could begin to tear at herself mentally, Rylen just happened to walk in and, after spotting her sitting alone, walked over to speak with her. 

“You alright, lass?” He inquired as she looked up to see the Commander’s second smiling down at her softly. 

“Could be better,” Phoenix once more sighed as she shook her head while he sat across from her. 

“Want to talk about it?” 

“I don’t think it will help.” 

Rylen shrugged then, “You never know. Besides, I can promise that whatever you tell me will be kept secret between us.” 

Phoenix studied the man for a moment. Oh she didn’t doubt the man on that part, she knew he’d keep his word. He always kept his word, in fact he had kept his promises to her down to a “t” ever since she had met him. Phoenix once more sighed as she rubbed at her eyes, “You saw how I was earlier today.” She started as he nodded. 

“Was hard to miss being right there.” 

“I’m just trying to figure out why I feel like I need to apologize to the Commander for calling him the names that I did- Thank you, Flissa,” Phoenix thanked the bartender who smiled and nodded as she dropped off both Rylen’s and Phoenix’s dinners and drinks. 

Rylen smiled then as he watched Phoenix turn to her food (stew, again, as it was) and spoke softly to her knowing that Phoenix wasn’t the type of person someone wanted to upset. “If you’re asking me, Nix, I believe you may have feelings for Cullen.” 

“That’s a bit far fetched don’t you think?” Phoenix inquired as Rylen raised a brow. 

“Not as much as you’d like to believe. Tell me, how do you feel when you see the man?” 

Phoenix frowned then, “You already know how I feel about the Commander, Rylen.” 

“Tell me again anyways.” 

Phoenix shook her head but finished her bite of stew before starting up with her words, “Well for starters, Commander Cullen is a good man. He’s loyal to the cause, he is sharp of mind, strong not just in body but of heart as well.” Phoenix frowned wondering what this was supposed to help establish. 

“And how do those traits make you feel about him?” 

“It’s...” Phoenix adamantly avoided Rylen’s sharp gaze now. “Like I can’t think straight. My heart squeezes with fear and worry at the slightest sign of him being hurt or weary...” she listed off a few other things and Rylen only smiled. “What’s the point in making me say all that?” 

Rylen only continued to smile at her as he finished off his drink. “To make you acknowledge the feelings you have for him. Face it, Lass, your falling for him.” 

“But...” 

“No buts,” Rylen watched her carefully then. “Phoenix, you can’t deny how you feel about the Commander. You’re only human after all and so is he. You may not notice it, But I’ve seen the looks you two give the other when they aren’t looking. You care as much about him as he does for you.” 

“Even so, it’s not like he and I could ever be together.”

“Why? Because your an apostate and he was trained as a Templar?” Rylen watched Phoenix nod sadly at that. “Oh lass, you still have so much to learn,” Rylen shook his head before standing. “Go talk to him.” With that Rylen left Phoenix alone as she picked at the rest of her food. Hearing a whine, Phoenix looked towards Balto who cocked his head to the side. Sighing as she gave him the rest of her food (which was still a great amount of it as she had lost her appetite) he swiftly finished it off as she nursed the ale before her while some of her hair fell into her face. 

“As much as I would like to...I doubt he wants to see me right now...” Phoenix sighed as she drank what was left of her ale and picked up the bowl to place it with Rylen’s own empty bowl. “Thanks for dinner, Flissa.” 

“See you in the morning sweetheart!” Flissa called back as Phoenix left the tavern with Balto at her side. Rubbing at her face again, Phoenix felt a yawn escape her and decided that speaking with Cullen could wait until the next day.

At least, that’s what she had hoped. Unfortunately for her, as she was heading towards her cabin (which was next to the Herald’s cabin) she suddenly felt a sharp pain pierce her side and cried out as yet another one bloomed near her shoulder while another one blossomed nearer to the middle of her back as Balto _**howled**_ out as only a warhound could do as he realized that his mistress was under attack, and alerted all guards as well as Rylen and Cullen (both of whom were just inside the gates), before he went lunging after the person as they ran away with three guards giving chase as well as Rylen and Cullen arrived to see Phoenix having collapsed on the ground. “ ** _FOLLOW THE MABARI!_** ” Cullen swiftly ordered as more guards and several soldiers went flying past him along with Rylen. Turning to Phoenix, Cullen was glad that it was so cold out but then noticed the blood that had pooled on the ground and cursed enough to rival a sailor. “You! Fetch the healer immediately!” He snapped at a nearby scout who did as told. Cullen leaned down and gently lifted Phoenix into his arms but not before noting the stab wounds that were upon her body. 

“Commander! What is going- _What happened?!_ ” Cullen looked over to see Leliana having swiftly run up with her bow in her hand and an arrow at the ready. He figured that the moment she had heard Balto’s howl was the moment she had snatched it up and was now glad that she had traveled with the Hero of Ferelden during the time of the Blight.

“Apparently someone was foolish enough to try an assassinate Lady Phoenix. But they were too hasty.” Cullen reported as he turned and headed straight for Phoenix’s cabin with Leliana on his heels. Just as he had given out orders, Leliana was immediately speaking with the scouts and send them off as they came. After Phoenix was seen too, Cullen remained at her door speaking with Leliana until a soldier came racing up with Balto all but plowing through the now open door as he barely missed the healer who was leaving.

“Commander! We have captured the one responsible for the Lady Seer’s injuries!” The soldier saluted as he explained the news. “Knight-Captain Rylen sent me to inform you.” 

“Thank you. You’re dismissed,” Cullen nodded knowing that Rylen could take care of the would be assassin. Though Cullen would have to admit that he almost, _almost_ , felt sorry for the assassin as Rylen had been, since Phoenix arrived, like an older brother to Phoenix. 

“Your not going to join the Knight-Captain, Commander?” 

“Rylen is more then capable of taking care of a would be assassin. Besides, I would hate to be that person right now anyway.” 

Leliana smirked then, “I take it your second is almost like a sibling to Phoenix.” Cullen nodded. 

“He cares deeply about her and takes her safety as seriously as I would for my own sisters. I would hate to be in that man’s path right now.” Cullen sighed then. “No, I will stay here and see to Lady Phoenix to ensure that no further harm comes to her this night.” With those words, Cullen turned to enter the building while Leliana raised a brow and barely upturned a corner of her mouth in amusement before she left to write to the Herald of what had just transpired. If it was one thing Leliana could say she knew about the Herald it was that he would be furious when he learned of what had happened, but as she would come to find out the word “furious” would not be enough to cover the rage the man felt upon learning that Phoenix had been attacked.


	8. Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know those moments when a dog starts rolling all over the ground, or bed, or floor, or even the couch and look like utter goofballs? yeah I call that "rubbing the stink". Dogs are such goofballs I want twenty of them lol 
> 
> Also have some rot your teeth sweet fluffy angst

Phoenix watched as Balto rubbed his "stink" into the blankets on the bed and smiled as she watched the war hound roll around on his back, stopping only for a moment to look like an utter goofball with his legs in the air and panting with a smile on his face with tongue lolling as his mistress watched him lay still on his back for a moment. "What if I don't want your stink all over my bed."

A "boof" was her answer. 

"Are you sure?" She inquired as Balto went back to rubbing his "stink" all over her bed. "Such a bad dog. Sometimes I swear you are just as bad as the Commander," Phoenix smiled as she turned to her desk with a smile.

"I'm sure he takes that as a compliment," Phoenix turned her head to see said Commander walking in with an ungodly smirk on his face.

"Should I be surprised your here?" Phoenix smiled as Cullen shrugged. Since the attempted assassination on her life, it was no surprise to her that he would come and check on her at least once in a day. Granted it was a bit annoying, but she also understood the reason why he did it. It was in his very nature, he was a protector (just like Balto) and she knew that to him, she was worth keeping safe. What she didn't know was that he was not doing it because she had invaluable knowledge, no, he was doing it because of how he felt about her. Though he wouldn't say it out-loud, the attempt on her life had frightened him something fierce and thus he had made it his personal job to check on her. 

"Not really," He smiled as he went to sit down on her bed as Balto woofed in greeting. "Hello to you too, Balto." Cullen greeted the mabari who rolled back over onto his stomach and crawled forward to rest his massive head on Cullen's lap, effectively pinning the man to the bed as Phoenix laughed. It was a sound Cullen wouldn't mind hearing again, but right now he was focused on the fact that Balto was looking up at him "puppy-dog" eyes and whined a bit as his stump of a tail wagged just a bit. "Right you know why I am here don't you?" He asked as Balto whined again in response while Phoenix turned to her desk.

"Spoiled rotten is what you are Balto."

A "boof" was the response. 

"As much as I would like to say I am here for him, I was actually wondering if you would like to go for a walk with me, Phoenix?"

Phoenix turned back to Cullen then, "I don't see why I wouldn't. I could do with a walk, and I'm sure he will need to do his business while we are out." She nodded to Balto who still wasn't moving his head from Cullen's lap. Cullen chuckled as she spoke to the mabari then, "Balto." Balto lifted his head at her calling his name and she motion towards the door, "Door." Cullen watched as Balto leapt down off the bed beside him and watched as he went to sit patiently at the door while Phoenix and Cullen stood. But as they left her cabin, they did not leave unnoticed and now Rylen (who was leaning against a wall) looked to his right and smirked. 

"Want to make a bet on if they kiss tonight?" He asked the Herald who was smirking then. 

"Your on. But I'm going to say they are interrupted before they are on."

"A full sovereign?" 

"Make that three and you have a deal."

"Done," Rylen smirked as they went to watch Cullen and Phoenix from a better vantage point. 

****

As Cullen and Phoenix walked, they spoke of nothing and yet, everything. Balto had run off to who could say where, yet neither were worried about him as he always returned to Phoenix. As they stopped on the dock over the frozen lake, Cullen noted that Phoenix shivered and frowned before removing his cloak to wrap around her shoulders causing her to look up at him. "You know," he started as she watched him. "It's kind of cold down here in the south for a more northern kind of girl." he decided to be cheeky and she smiled in return. 

"Maybe, what would you suggest I do to keep warm in such a cold climate then, Commander Rutherford of the Inquisition?" She inquired back as Cullen smiled. 

"Well there are several things I can think of. Keep near the fires, train, or find yourself a Fereldan man willing to keep you warm day and night."

"Well two of those three things I already do enough so those aren't really options for me now are they?" Phoenix inquired as Cullen chuckled. 

"I guess not."

"The third one, well, there is only one Fereldan in the whole of the Inquisition who has caught my eye. It's just the matter of if he feels the same way about me that I feel about him." 

"He'd be a fool if he didn't," Cullen drew nearer to Phoenix and she had to tilt her head back a little further to look up into his eyes. "He'd be a fool to not feel lucky that he has such a beautiful woman pining after him." AS he spoke those words, Cullen noted the things about her facial features that he hadn't before and felt surprised with himself. Her hair, which had been recently re-cut, fell away from her face to reveal naturally long lashes. Her skin was paler in the light of the breach; her blue eyes which he noted were often a sky-blue had darkened to being a deep sapphire blue in the dimmer light, though they reflected the green of the breach. Her lips, while not exactly "full" by the standards of any and all Noblewomen, nor were they thin, but were, instead, somewhere in between the two (and somewhere in the back of his mind he was down right sure they were soft). He saw little scars marring her skin that were _only visible_ when he was as closer to her as he was now, and while a part of him wondered what they were from he didn't ask as he didn't want to ruin whatever moment they had built. 

"Apparently you need your eyes checked, Commander," Phoenix smiled as he smirked his ungodly knee weakening smirk. "I have never been beautiful and I never will be."

Cullen shook his head then, "I don't know who told you that you weren't beautiful, but they were lying."

"And what can you say to make me change my mind about that then?"

Cullen smirked at the challenge now, "For starters, your eyes. Any man with half a mind would be drawn to them and would feel as if they were looking into the heavens that were created by the Maker himself." Cullen then placed his hand under her chin as he ran his thumb along her lips softly. "Your lips are perfect to be kissed as they're not the noblewomen's standard of "full" but are not thin either. In fact they are perfectly in-between." He continued on about her physical features and she felt a blush slowly rising as he took her hands into his own to compliment them before smiling as he looked back up and into her eyes. "But most of all, your personality is almost perfectly balanced. You have a kind and gentle nature with a fiercer side only showing when it is most needed. Your heart can be described as being pure in any form as you care deeply about those around you, and your soul...well there are no words to describe your soul even if I were to try." Cullen smiled softly as he found his face inching closer to hers (what he didn't know was that by now Phoenix's heart was racing in her chest as the blush grew in intensity). She looked so tiny with his cloak wrapped around her and it made him smug to know that it was _HIS_ cloak that was upon her shoulders at that moment. It was _HIS_ scent that was mixing with hers (which he now noted that her scent was that of blackberries and some kind of flower though he didn't know what kind it was). But when his face was just inches from hers and their lips only moments apart from kissing someone called out to him and he groaned as Phoenix giggled, actually _giggled_. 

"Looks like work is never done is it?"

"It seems that way," he smiled as he stepped away from her just as a scout came jogging up and, somewhere in the distance, Rylen was grumbling as he fished out some coin to hand over to the Herald who was now smirking in victory. Looking over the report the scout handed to him, Phoenix recognized the man as Jim and once more mentally called him "Captain Cockblock". "See to it that Lady Phoenix is escorted back to her cabin," Cullen barked at the man who nodded as Cullen turned to Phoenix. "I hate that we have to cut this short, but I hope we can do something like this again one day?" He inquired as she smiled softly.

"I would like that, very much Commander." Phoenix replied as he took her hand into his and lifted it up to lay a gentle kiss there.

"Until then, my lady." He smirked that ungodly smirk once more before turning and leaving, but then she remembered his cloak and called out to him.

"CULLEN!" He stopped to look at her with wonder and she spoke quickly, "Your-!"

"Keep it for the night. I wouldn't want you to freeze on your way back to your cabin," He smiled before continuing on, leaving her to watch after him and suddenly the fan-girl who was lurking in the back of her mind practically melted on the spot which in turn had Phoenix on auto-pilot as she followed Jim back to her cabin, where she soon entered (with Balto on her heels as he had rejoined her sometime during the walk back).

She looked to Balto who sniffed at the cloak before giving a curious whine as she buried her own nose into the fur collar while a thrill ran through her as she smell the scent that was Cullen and swore that her insides twisted up as a smile crossed her face.  _Oakmoss and Elderflower..._ If she were a cat she would have been purring as she felt herself be wrapped up in his scent.  _But I also detect something...woodsy... too._ Take another sniff (by now she couldn't help it) she noted that that woodsy scent was in fact an underlying tone of a campfire smell and suddenly she shivered as a thrill ran along her spine. Then another thought hit her and she groaned as Balto whined at the sound, "Welp...I'm fucked... I didn't want to fall in love and yet here I am... Falling for the one man that I have no business falling for..." Shaking her head, Phoenix carefully (and damn near lovingly) folded up the cloak and placed it upon her desk and made sure to write a note which she placed upon his cloak, before dressing for bed. As she curled up under the covers, Balto hopped up and lay beside her as she began to pet him. "What am I going to do, boy?" She whispered into the darkness as she closed her eyes and passed out while Balto snugged up to her with a sigh. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladies, I present to you: Shameless flirt Cullen (apparently Cullen had to step in for Phoenix as a muse because she is being well, _SQUIRREL!_ right now). Too bad Scout Jim just had to ruin the moment.


	9. Eight

Phoenix awoke the next morning to a slobbery kiss and groaned while somehow laughing at the same time. “Balto!” She smiled as the Mabari woofed and whined. “What? Are you hungry?” 

A long low whine. 

“Alright, give me a moment and we’ll go to the tavern.” She smiled as she scratch behind his ear. Earning herself a happy groan from him. After giving him some lovings, he hopped down and she stood and looked over towards her desk to see that Cullen’s cloak was gone and in its place was a note from him. Reading the note she smiled and set it in one of her desk drawers before dressing for the day. As she was dressing she stopped for a moment and realized that CULLEN had written the note then looked towards Balto who titled his head and whined in confusion. “Did Cullen come over and let you out?” She inquired as Balto woofed the confirmation. “Huh...” Phoenix remembered that she had told Cullen that he didn’t need to let Balto out anymore now that she was cleared to walk around again, but it was apparent to her that the man was going to anyway. Not that she was complaining any, if it helped, then she wouldn't stop him. 

After she was fully dressed, Phoenix opened the door and soon she and Balto left the cabin to head over towards the Singing Maiden where both where greeted by Flissa (who also mother henned her), “Phoenix!” Flissa’s eyes almost bugged out of her head as she watched the young woman enter. “You go sit and I will bring you something to eat!” Phoenix frowned but did not argue. However, the moment she sat down, was the moment another person came walking up and sat across from her. 

“You know I about killed the man who attacked you.” Phoenix looked up to see Rylen taking a seat across from her. 

“Oh?” 

He nodded as Flissa dropped off the food and drinks. It was now apparent to everyone within the town and the outlying camp that it was rare for Phoenix to eat alone. Even if she had Balto with her, Rylen was always somehow able to come sit and eat with her. Many assumed it was because the Commander told him to but that was far from the truth. Rylen ate with her because he had basically taken her on as an adopted sister. How it had happened, no one could say but if someone were to ask him he would only smile and tell them that it was a mystery when in truth he had “adopted” her because she had no one in this world. She was alone and he didn’t want her to remain that way even if she did have Balto. "Aye. Your like a sister to me and no one harms my family, blood or not." Phoenix had had her suspicions about that and only smiled upon hearing his confession. But before she could respond he spoke again, "Are you going to be busy today?"

"Not that I am aware of, there's a war meeting later but I don't think I will be needed for it."

"Good. I know you are still learning to use your magic but since you are more of a healer then an offensive mage, I have something planned that will help ensure you can defend yourself. You won't always be able to use your magic if a Templar, who isn't one of ours, is around."

"What are you suggesting?" She inquired after she took a drink of ale.

"I'm suggesting you learn to use steel, lass." He told her as she felt her brows raise. 

"And how does the Commander feel about that?"

Rylen smirked then, "Haven't told him yet, but I'm sure after the attempt on your life he would agree." 

Phoenix thought that over before smiling, "I already know how to use steel. I had a pair of daggers that I was trained to use when I was growing up. It's just been a long time since I last picked up any weapon." Rylen raised a brow then. 

"Then perhaps we can freshen your knowledge and get you used to wielding a pair of them again." 

"I won't argue with you on that point," She agreed with him as they finished their food (with Phoenix giving what she didn't eat to Balto who scarfed it down) and drinks, then left the tavern so Rylen could see just how much knowledge Phoenix had on using daggers. Which, as he would come to find out, was a fare amount. but he decided that it would be a smart idea to add onto it, and show her some tricks that he hopped she would never need to use.

****

Cullen stood snapping orders at the latest batch of recruits before turning to a lieutenant, "Where is Knight-Captain Rylen?"

"Over there with Lady Phoenix, Ser," the Lieutenant nodded as Cullen turned to see that the man was right. Off in the distance, Rylen was with Phoenix and much to Cullen's surprise Phoenix had a pair of daggers in her hands; but as he watched the two, he was surprised to see that they were training with weapons. Wondering if Rylen had canceled out Phoenix's magic he studied the area for a moment before noting that the area around the two was nullified. Before he became too distracted by the sight of the two, he ordered the Lieutenant to take charge of the troops and walked over to watch as Rylen and Phoenix went to town on each other. Watching as Phoenix easily dodged most of Rylen's offensive attacks, he saw her also defend before going on the offensive. Frowning as he saw that most of her attacks came in twos he wondered what she was thinking before she suddenly changed up her tactics and his brows skyrocketed as she suddenly had Rylen on the defensive, then his jaw all but dropped as he watched her lower herself to the ground, spin around with a leg out and knocked his second to the ground as the man tried to recover from the attacks she had sent his way and smirked as he watched her pin Rylen to the ground, practice blades at the man's throat and heard Rylen laugh. 

"Well Lass I have to say, you sure did take me down when I least expected it."

"It was actually easier then you would believe," She smiled at the man before removing her weight from on top of him to stand and help him up, "But I'm no fool, I know i'm nowhere good enough to take on more then one enemy."

"Not yet, but one day you will be able to," He told her as he spotted Cullen watching him with a raised brow. Rylen smirked then, "Maybe you should try your hand against the Commander." 

Phoenix was confused now, "Why would I try-?!" she turned from Rylen to where the man was looking and about jumped out of her skin when she saw Cullen standing there watching them. 

"Only if she feels comfortable with it."

"I don't need to feel comfortable with it Commander," Phoenix said as Cullen raised a brow, "I doubt, should I ever have to face an armed enemy, that they will give me the time to be comfortable. Besides, it will do me some good to get fully used to using daggers again," She informed him as he conceded to that point. 

"Very well then," He smirked as he walked over to Rylen and removed his cloak, what bits of armor he did wear upon his upper body, his gloves and (of course) his shirt leaving on his boots and pants on. Though it was distracting to see him shirtless (she knew that his Templar training had toned his body well, but just how well was surprising to her) and to see the scars he had suffered over the years, she did her best to keep her own training in mind and, brushing her hair out of her face, she _WATCHED_ him closely as a large cat would watch its prey. 

 _He's a right hander... Which means his defense is set mostly on his left._ She felt him turn and begin to study her as he sized up just how much of a threat she would pose without her magic.  _I'm no fool though, he has been training with sword and shield all his life so he would know all his own weaknesses and how best to defend himself and guard those weak points. Hmn... I know what to do now. I will have to let him believe he's winning._

Just as she was thinking those thoughts, Cullen spoke. "Ready?" He inquired once he finished calculating what he would need to do to win and she smirked back at him. 

"Let us dance, Commander," Phoenix returned towards him as they began to circle. 

****

Cullen sat down just outside of his tent and watched as Phoenix and Rylen spoke for a few moments before both headed off to get something to eat. A smile played on Cullen's lips as he watched Phoenix and soon shook his head. Very few people had actually been able to hand him his own ass on a silver platter during training due to the fact that he could almost perfectly calculate what it would take to beat them, but despite the fact that she had not beaten him, she had _SHOWN_ him **_EXACTLY_** why she was so lithe.  _I would hate to be any enemy that dares to cross her path..._ He rubbed at his face as he felt the onslaught of a sudden headache. Shaking his head once more, he stood and swiftly returned to his duties, but as he sat in his tent some hours later (like just after night had fallen) the sound of soft footfall reached him (as did the sound of paws on the snow) and he looked up to see Phoenix stopping at the entrance to his tent. She looked like she wanted to say something but wasn't exactly sure what to say and thus he spoke up first to allow her to collect her thoughts, "Lady Phoenix? Is something the matter?" He asked politely as she studied him for a moment. 

"I was actually coming to check on you," She told him softly as she entered the tent with Balto heading over to plop down near the desk. "Are you alright?" 

Cullen wondered what she meant by asking that then had remembered how she had knocked him down to the ground when he had least expected it. "I'll be fine," He tried to reassure her but she didn't seem to buy into it. "I've had worse during training, Phoenix," He told her while also realizing that he had just used her name instead of "Lady Phoenix" or "My Lady" and fought to keep down a blush. 

"I don't buy into that for one moment but I won't argue with you on that, but that's not what I'm talking about. I know about the Lyrium withdrawals," She stated plainly and he groaned. 

 _Of course she would..._ He thought to himself as she finished approaching him.

"Cullen?" He looked up at her use of his name and swore that his heart stopped at seeing the sincerity in the sapphire color they were in the dim light. 

"I'll be fine, Phoenix." He told her but she shook her head as she didn't believe him at all. 

"I'm not about to argue that yes you will be, but maybe there is something I can do to help ease the pain?" She inquired as He tilted his head a bit. 

"What do you think you will be able to do?" He wondered as she gave a small smile. 

"If you're not to opposed to me using a bit of healing magic, I can show you." She watched him as he realized she was waiting for his permission to touch him, and the sentiment behind that move had him nodding. She moved closer to him to gently rested her hands on the back of his neck and just before he could ask her what she was doing he felt her magic suddenly spread from her hands as she massaged his neck and shoulders and let out a groan as all but _melted_ under her gentle touch as she massaged her hands along his neck and shoulders. He was glad now that he had changed into a more comfortable outfit, but as her hands moved from his shoulders and neck, she carefully began to massage his scalp and he closed his eyes. He had never been healed by her magic before, but what he felt from her magic was completely different to what the healing magic of the other mages was like. To where their magic only aggravated his withdrawals, hers was like being wrapped up in the softest of blankets but also had hints of being warm as he sensed the underlying tones of her strange colored fire also working alongside the healing magic she was using to clear away the pain he was feeling from both his withdrawals and the stress that had been on his shoulders. 

"Where have you been all my life?" He almost purred out as Phoenix chuckled softly. 

"In another world living a crappy life," she told him as she pulled away once she was finished with the massaging, earning him looking at her. 

"What do you mean?' He asked with curiosity now.

"One day I will tell you, but right now, I don't want to ruin the good mood," she informed him as she prepared to move away. But suddenly he reached out and gripped her wrist causing her to look at him.

Cullen wasn't sure what was suddenly coming over him, but he soon pulled her into his lap and she felt a blush creep onto her face as he hugged her close. After a moment of confusion she returned it the best that she could when straddling him and felt his grip on her tighten a bit before he released her a few moments later. "I am so..." He started before she stopped him.

"Cullen, don't ever apologize for that," She smiled warmly down at him. She was still straddling him and the smile he saw on her face (despite the fact that he was sure she could feel how hard he was underneath her) brought a warmth to him. "But just know, I won't apologize for this." Before he could ask she laid the gentlest of kisses upon his lips and suddenly he wanted nothing more then to keep her with him in his tent. To deepen the kiss and make her plead his name as he took her over and over, but he controlled himself despite the fact and soon watched as she pulled away and removed her weight from his lap. "I will see you later, Commander," and with that she began to leave with Cullen watching after her as Balto leapt up and chased after her, only for the Mabari to stop and look back towards Cullen. 

"What?" he asked the dog who gave him a long stare before looking towards Phoenix then back again as if encouraging the man to do something, but when Cullen didn't move, Balto huffed in annoyance and went chasing after Phoenix once more leaving Cullen to wonder what had just transpired between him and the Mabari before it knocked him upside the head at what the dog had suggested. "Maker's breath! Now he's on my ass to?!" he shook his head but frowned as he once more remembered that Mabari were as smart or smarter than a tax collector and groaned before standing and looking over towards the entrance to his tent. Sighing, Cullen knew what he was about to do was likely the stupidest move he could pull, but he needed to see Phoenix, even if it meant indulging in being with her for an entire night. "But I won't let it be just a one night thing," He growled at himself as he promised himself that he wasn't just going to use her. No, if she allowed him, he would be with her for the rest of their lives, but that was where luck came in and as he would find, luck was on his side when it came to Phoenix. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> had a bit of trouble with this chapter (bleh) but who wants to guess what's going to happen in the next chapter? here's a hint: Things are about to get real steamy (as in *woof* steamy)


	10. Nine (NSFW)

Phoenix was standing at her desk reading a letter that the Spymaster had left her when a knock sounded at the door. Wondering who it could possibly be, she called out for the person to enter and saw Cullen as he opened the door, entered into the cabin after almost being run over by Balto who raced out much to both Cullen’s and Phoenix’s confusions, and then shut the door behind him as Phoenix turned to Cullen after setting the letter down. “Commander,” She greeted him as he nodded and walked up to her. “Is there something I can help you with?” She inquired as he sighed. 

“Not...well...yes...” he started as she watched him carefully. “I...um... I don’t know how to say this as I’ve never been one to speak my feelings about someone to them before.. but I...” suddenly he mentally slapped himself upside the head and shook his head. “I don’t know what I’m doing here. You need to get some rest and I...” he turned to leave but she stopped him with a hand on his wrist. 

“Is this about the kiss?” She inquired as he looked at her with wonder. “Because if It is then I can apologize for it...” she looked away then as a blush bloomed across her cheeks. 

“What? No! Its not about that, I rather enjoyed the kiss.” He found himself admitting and wondered where that confession had come from. “I’m not good with feelings and I don’t know how to tell you how I feel without sounding like a moron.” 

“Then show me?” 

“What?” Cullen looked back up at her as she repeated what she said. 

“Show me. Show me how you feel if words are failing you.” Phoenix knew she was walking into, and playing with, fire with those words but then again she was named after a legendary firebird. 

Cullen went to sit and she watched him as he sighed, “but how would I go about doing that? I don’t even know what I am feeling for you.” 

“A good place to start is by trying,” she told him as she walked up to him. She swore that in the dim candlelight his golden eyes turned into a dark honey color but before she could study him further, she yelped in surprise before he stole her lips with his own and suddenly she knew why he was having trouble speaking with her. 

“That’s how I feel, but I also feel so much more.” 

“What do you mean?” Phoenix inquired as Cullen pulled her further up onto his lap where she soon straddled his hard cock. 

“This,” He told her as she felt how hard he was and forced herself to keep quiet. ”The things you do to me without even trying.” Cullen could feel her own heat through her pants and felt a shiver run through his spine. ”But I am sure that you don't want to spend just a night in heated passion and then never-!” 

Cullen wasn't given the chance to speak anymore because at that moment Phoenix then kissed him deeply. ”Cullen, I know you won't let this be just a one-night thing,” she managed as she pulled away. ”We can do this if _YOU_ want, the pace is up to you.” Phoenix went to remove her weight from his lap but he stopped her as he gripped her wrist and just as she returned her gaze to him, one of his hands snaked around to the back of her head and pulled her close to kiss her deeply. ”Cullen,” she groaned as he gripped her hips and began to move her hips in a grinding motion. Phoenix moaned into the kiss and Cullen shivered as he felt something in him clawing to be free and claim her for his own.

Pulling away from the kiss, Cullen growled low. ”Phoenix...I...I...” 

”I know,” she told him. She looked into Cullen’s golden eyes and saw the silent plea in them. Her mind suddenly turned to the thing everyone called him and realized that right now she had the Lion underneath her with a plea in his eyes for her to allow him to claim her and without thinking, she gave into the plea as her own ”animal” overcame her and she kissed him once more. ”Take me for one your own, Cullen,” She told him as he shivered again and this time she felt it but before she could say anything, Cullen let out a growl that she swore rivaled that of a lion and before she could do or say anything, he gripped her close, stood up and with a deep kiss, carried her to the bed and set her down carefully.

Laying down she pulled Cullen with her and he set his hands on the bed on both sides of her and began to grind into her as they kissed deeply. She felt the covers pull underneath her as Cullen curled his fingers into fists; just as suddenly as it had started Cullen stopped grinding into her and pulled away o begin removing his clothing with her doing the same. Before she could fully remove her clothing (she had only managed to remove her shirt), Cullen stopped her and gently forced her to lay back down. ”Let me,” He told her as he leaned over her and kissed her again. ”I want to see all of you,” He growled as he kissed from her lips, down along her jaw and ended on her jugular vein and nipped it as one of his hands slid slyly up towards her breastband, while the other slid down to rest between her legs where he could _feel_ how wet she was growing through her pants. ”I want to watch you come undone. Watch as I drive you to moaning out my name over and over,” He continued to kiss and nip at her as he began to rub at the area above her core creating friction and suddenly she reared up and taking that as a sign, he soon tore off her breastband and moved to breasts. Cullen moved the hand that he had taken her breastband off with and soon began to knead at one of her breasts while he moved down to the other and carefully took it in his mouth. At first, he suckled on it and licked at it then gently took it between his teeth and nipped carefully at the sensitive peak, all while continuing to rub at her core causing her to moan with need. 

“Cullen,” She whined at him as he continued to nip and play with her breasts. “Cullen please...I...” she was begging him now and he felt himself grow harder. 

“You what?” He pulled away from her breast and core, earning a whine from her. But then he switched hands and began rubbing at her again causing her to whimper as he took her other breast into his mouth while the other was soon being kneaded at by the hand that had originally been rubbed at her. 

“I need...” Phoenix bit her lip as he rubbed a little bit hard harder, the friction intensifying as he did so. 

“What do you need?” 

“I need you...” a little more pressure went between her legs. “I need you to...” she struggled to not moan but the friction only continued to intensify. “Oh...gods Cullen, just fuck me!” She told him swiftly as he smirked. 

“Gladly,” His reply was short and before she knew it both her pants and smalls were off, but instead of sliding his hard cock into her as she expected, he slid down to his knees and began to kiss along her left thigh. ”You are beautiful, Phoenix.” He pulled apart her legs and she felt him use a finger to part her lower lips. ”You smell so wonderful.” he told her as he focused that one finger and soon shoved it into her core. ”You are so wet...” he purred as he moved his finger in and out of her slowly. Suddenly his mouth was near the entrance to her core and he flicked his tongue over his finger to lap at her juices. ”And you taste just as good...” he told her as he began to speed up his finger. Using that sly tongue he continued to lick at her and she felt as if he was purposefully trying to drive her crazy. 

”Cullen!” she whined as she tried to squirm, earning one of his powerful arms pinning her down to the bed to hold her in place as he continued to tease her. 

“Not yet my beautiful firebird,” He told her as he added a finger to the one that was already taunting her. ”Soon,” He promised her as she grew wetter from his constant teasing. She whined for him to stop teasing her but he only continued to do so until she was clawing at the covers on the bed. He moved his fingers faster, driving them into her harder than he had been and felt her walls suddenly clamp down onto his fingers and knew she was ready to enter the sweet abyss known as euphoria. With one last thrust of his fingers, he hit that sweet spot that sent her reeling into ecstasy and she cried out as he returned to lapping at her as if he were a starved man. When he was sure that none of her juices had escaped him he rose up, wiped whatever of her wetness was on his face away then proceeded on kissing her deeply as she came out of the first of many highs she would enter this night. 

Normally, Phoenix would find the thought of tasting herself on anyone to be downright disgusting, but with Cullen, she was hard pressed to find anything wrong with what he was doing to her. When she was recovered from her high, she felt him pull away to remove his own pants and smalls (his shirt had come off sometime before they had started this whole thing) and watched as his toned body became fully bare for her eyes to rake over and that's exactly what she did. She scanned him from head to toes and licked her lips at what she saw. She watched him smirk as he noted the wandering gaze of hers and spoke, ”Enjoying what you see?” 

”Mmn... Very much so...” she purred as she watched him shiver at her words before she once more saw the lion come forth as he stalked towards her. His amber eyes now more honey than amber with how aroused he was focused on her in her own bared state and suddenly he pinned her back down to the bed earning a surprised gasp from her. 

”Have you ever had a lover before?” 

”I've had only one but we never came anywhere close to this.” She admitted as he nodded before he took his hard member and began to rub the tip of it in her juices. 

”Then I will be gentle,” he told her as he aligned himself with the entrance to her core. Slowly he entered her and she gripped the sheets as she stretched to accommodate his girth and length. ”Maker!” he growled out as she closed her eyes and the feeling of his cock within her. ”You’re so tight, but you feel as if you were made for me,” he closed his eyes as well once he was fully sheathed within her. 

Phoenix opened her eyes to see Cullen trembling from the desire to take her hard and fast and she found herself wrapping her legs around his waist and gave an experimental rise of her hips, enticing a moan to escape from him. ”Cullen...” She purred out towards him as he opened his eyes and leaned forward to kiss her deeply. Soon he began to slowly thrust in and out, but it wasn't long before he suddenly began thrusting harder. Phoenix, for her part, found her hands clawing at his back and felt the hard muscles tightening as his thrusts grew deep and hard. ”Cullen... Cullen...” Phoenix said his name over and over, she pleaded with him to go even hard, faster than what he was already and he complied. 

With each thrust, he felt her growing closer and closer to her climax and swiftly moved a hand down to where he knew the key to her end rested and used his thumb to completely drive her into her end. The minute she reached that end, she howled his name and he began to drive into her as fast and as hard as he could as her walls clamped down around his cock. Feeling his own end bearing down on him, he gave one last powerful thrust and with a roar of his own, he released his seed into her waiting womb. She felt his release and felt the hot spurts as his seed coated the inside of her core but her mind did not fully register what happened even after they slowly started to come down from their shared high. Not that it mattered at that moment anyways as the moment they exited the high, their sweet kisses reignited the fiery inferno and soon she found herself with him underneath her. 

She noted how Cullen looked and some little part of her was pleased to see how it was her who made this lion of a man tremble under her as she began to ride him into yet another sweet release. She threw her head bad as his fingers dug into her hips (of which she was pretty damn sure there would be bruises the next day) and felt him bucking up into her as she drove him into being wild. Once more her walls clamped around his hard cock and he roared once more as another end took him and caused him to release his seed into her womb. He eventually took back control, and once more that night they found their third and final release, though what neither of them realized was that Phoenix had not been keeping tabs on her monthly cycle since she had arrived on Thedas and thus neither would realize it for a while but it would be this night that would result in something Phoenix would swear to not be physically possible.


	11. Ten

A couple of weeks later, Phoenix awoke alone and for a moment wondered if she had been imagining Cullen having spent the night with her for two weeks straight. She looked down to see that she was covered up but soon threw off the covers and stood to get dressed. Hearing a huff, she looked over to see Balto laying by the door and raised a brow. “And just where have you been going every night for the past two weeks?” She inquired as another huff sounded from the Mabari who was watching her closely. “What?” She inquired as he continued to watch her closely, earning a shrug from her as she got dressed. After she was dressed, she noticed a letter on her desk, walked over to read it and was pleased to see that it was from Cullen. Reading it over, she felt a smile tug at her lips and shook her head before placing it carefully within her desk drawer where the other one was. Looking back over towards Balto (who had finally moved over to lay beside her desk), the dog whined as he tilted his head and she shook her head. ”I feel like I’m forgetting about _SOMETHING_ but I can’t remember what,” Phoenix told the hound who whined again. Before she could comment anymore on it a knock sounded at her door and she frowned as she called out for the person to enter and was met by the Herald walking in. 

"A little birdy told me that you and the Commander have been quiet busy."

Phoenix looked at him with amusement, "And if we have been? Do you have an issue with it?" 

"No, but did you think of the consequences of what could come about it if your not careful?"

"Nothing **_CAN_** come about from what he and I do." 

Deyran's brows shot up, "What do you...?"

"I can't give Cullen children," Phoenix shook her head as Deyran felt bad for her, "I've been told by several of my own world's healers that it is impossible for me to have children." Phoenix said as Balto huffed in irritation at something to do with her. "What?" She inquired as the dog looked from her to her stomach area before huffing again and rested his head between his paws.

"Is he always like this?"

"No, he's just been acting like that for the past two weeks," Phoenix frowned as Deyran watched the dog for a moment and saw Balto's eyes flick once more to Phoenix's stomach area then back towards him as if begging the man to tell her something. 

"Phoenix?"

"What?"

"Last I checked, Mabari are extremely intelligent animals, he's looking like he's trying to tell you something." 

Phoenix looked towards Balto who "boofed" his agreement and frowned. "Maybe, but I will have to check later, don't we have a meeting to get to?"

Deyran frowned at her with an unamused look, "You just had to remind me didn't you?"

Phoenix smiled then, "That's what I am here for!" Balto lifted his head and woofed in agreement with her. 

"You too?!" Deyran frowned as Balto woofed again and happily panted in response as his stub of a tail wagged. "Fine...Lets go. Guess I have to make the decision on who I want to go to for aid in closing the breach." He prepared to leave but noted that Phoenix was not following him, "Phoenix?"

Phoenix was looking away from him with a sad look on her face, "I forgot that we were going to discuss that today..." She told him as he watched her with worry.

"Nix, is there something your not telling me?"

"Yes... But we can discuss it in the war room..." Phoenix refused to look at him,  _Cullen is going to be pissed..._ What she didn't realize was that the word "pissed" wasn't exactly the right words for the emotions he would feel. 

****

Cullen stood in the war room going round and round with Leliana about who the Herald should go to for help, but noticed that Phoenix was unusually quiet and wasn't daring to meet anyone's eyes and he found that odd. Before he could ask her what was wrong, Deyran spoke up. "Phoenix."

"Yes?"

"Didn't you tell me before we came in that you had something to say about all of this?"

Phoenix sighed then, "Yes. I did and do." She looked so small and vulnerable now that it worried Cullen greatly. They gave her a moment to collect her thoughts, watched as Balto (who was sitting near her) scooted closer to where his shoulder was resting against her thigh. Once she was fully prepared, she told them what would happen after Deyran chose one or the other of the two groups (while also stating that BOTH would work for closing the Breach permanently), "...but there is an issue with choosing one over the other for both."

"What do you mean?" Deyran frowned as Phoenix looked down again while addressing Cullen as Balto leaned his weight on Phoenix as if telling her all would be well. 

"Cullen?"

"Yes?" Cullen watched her carefully, wondering what could make her seem so small. 

"Remember Knight-Commander Meredith and her crazy ass?"

"Very well unfortunately," Cullen frowned with a slight growl. 

"Remember the red Lyrium?"

"Yes." He didn't understand where this was going, "Why?"

She looked up then and straight into his eyes and what she told him both shocked the ever-living shit out of him but that shock soon gave way to rage. "The Fate of the Templars is just that. They will either willingly take Red Lyrium or be killed if they put up a fight. And there is no point in going to those who are the superiors of those located at Therinfal, its too late for them." 

No one said anything as Phoenix once more looked away (this time down towards Balto who whined softly), but then, as if afraid to break the silence, Leliana spoke. "What about the mages?"

"If Deyran decides to go for the Templars to save them, and leave the mages behind..." Phoenix physically shivered then, "They will become slaves to the machinations of the Cult know as the Venatori." 

Cullen wasn't exactly sure what was worse as she spoke those words, but no one dare to speak at that moment, Cullen looked over towards Phoenix but she would not look up at him, he frowned as he saw that but before he could say or do anything Deyran spoke up once more. "Phoenix?"

"Yes?" She looked up towards the Herald who was watching her closely. 

"In your utmost honest and personal opinion: Who would **_YOU_** go for?"

"That's..." Phoenix shook her head then, "Personally I would go for the Mages. I have nothing against the Templars, but when I was living in my world..." She looked down as she fought against tears and Cullen felt his heart break for her. "In my world we have had many stories that talk about going backward in time or even forwards and the consequences for such actions are never... Many don't end well. Fucking with Time? It should _NEVER_ be allowed."

"Has anyone in your world tried to mess with Time?"

"Several and ALL of them disappeared without a trace and no one can say what happened to them."

"Wouldn't your existence here then be something akin to that?"

Phoenix shook her head, "No. My existence here proves a whole different theory, to which I must say that if I ever met the person who originally came up with the whole "Other worlds, other dimensions" theory, I would give that person a fucking cookie because this is something that I was completely skeptical about. But then again, almost all of the people of my world are skeptical of things that can't be proven through what we call science."

"You'll have to tell me about that and your world sometime," Deyran smiled trying to lighten the mood a bit. 

"I will try though I can't make any promises that it will make sense." 

"What makes you say that?" Everyone turned to the Lady Ambassador, Josephine Montilyet, then. 

"I lived there for damn near all my life and it made very little sense to me," Phoenix told her as Leliana spoke. 

"Well that isn't going to help at all."

"No it won't, but then again I in the countryside where my family bred and raised horses for a living so I've never really had reason to pay attention to outside world, but we are getting way off track now. Deyran, after you decide who your going after to help and save from a terrible fate, meet me at the stables."

"Alright?"

"I have a trick to show you don't worry. It will help with controlling your horse when you go to mount up and just controlling the horse in general."

Deyran flinched back, "You saw that?"

"I wasn't the only one."

Deyran looked over towards the three who stood behind the war table, saw the shared nod and groaned, "Alright. I will meet you there." He told her as she nodded before she swiftly left the room as if demons were clawing at her heels.

****

Phoenix smiled as she heard the loud whinny of the stallion that Cullen had been trying to break in and looked over in the proud beast's direction and greeted the gorgeous horse, "Hello to you too buddy," She walked over and pet along his after informing the stable-hands to prepare the Herald's horse. 

"You know he's a stubborn one, Lass," Rylen spoke up causing Phoenix to turn towards the man as he walked up. "Refuses to obey the Commander and still refuses to let the Commander break him in."

"Cullen hasn't tried what I told him to?"

"Aye, the Commander is about as hardheaded as many Fereldans come," Rylen smirked at that.

"Sounds like he would be the perfect rider for this noble fellow," Phoenix shook her head as Rylen raised a brow to that.

"I don't think this proud horse wants the Commander for a rider, lass."

Phoenix looked at Rylen in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Look at how he's acting around you. You should know better then anyone that the Rider never truly chooses the horse," Phoenix was still greatly confused and Rylen only smiled at her before calling for one of the stable-hands. "Have this proud beast saddled up for the lass here." The young man who Rylen was talking to swiftly vanished to do as bid and Rylen turned to Phoenix. "Ride the horse, Phoenix. You'd be surprised at what you discover." 

Phoenix watched as Rylen walked away and looked between both Balto and the horse, both of whom were just as confused as she was and they looked at her as she shrugged. "Probably wouldn't hurt to see." She told them as the horse snorted and Balto whined in wonder.


	12. Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like this song and it's perfect for the moment between Cullen and Phoenix: Aubrey Ashburn - Love Song (Dragon Age) [link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYfMJQ_lfmo] yes I know its from the DA Origins soundtrack but it fits. (fight me if you don't like it! lol)

Phoenix stood next to the now saddled and bridled stallion and watched as Deyran attempted the trick she had told him about, only to watch as the elven man fell flat on his ass and face-palmed. "Face it Phoenix, I am always going to struggle with mounting up on horseback."

"No you will get it, but tell me something do you often learn better when you see someone do something?"

"Yes."

"Alright that will make it easier then," Phoenix turned to the stallion who lowered his head and shook it as he snorted, "Watch me closely." She told Deyran who did just that as she soon hopped up into the saddle with ease. 

"How did you learn to do that?" He asked as she smiled. 

"You've seen me standing next to Cassandra, Cullen, Leliana and Josephine right?"

"On several occasions."

"I am shorter then any of them, as well as shorter then any other human within the Inquisition."

"But yet you stand as tall as any Elf, Dalish or City." 

Phoenix smirked, "The average human woman height in my world varies from place to place. but the majority are around five foot four where I was born."

"Your short," Deyran smirked as Phoenix shot him a black look.

"Don't remind me," She growled at him, "Now mount up so we can get started on the next part." 

Deyran once more attempted the trick and smiled in celebration when he found himself in the saddle with ease, "It worked!"

"Don't be celebrating just yet," Phoenix smiled as he looked at her in confusion. "Time for the next lesson." She smiled as she rubbed one of her feet gently against the stallion's side and clicked her tongue. letting up on the reins a bit, she felt the stallion being to move forward. Pulling back on the reins gently, as they came up to the Herald, Phoenix began to instruct the man on what she knew would aid him in controlling the gelding he rode and soon they found themselves riding around the lake with Deyran smiling like an idiot as they cycled through walking, trotting and cantering with the horses. When she knew he was comfortable with those paces she smirked,  _Cullen is going to kill me for what Deyran and I are about to do._  "Alright, I think your ready for the last part."

"What part is that?" Deyran asked as Phoenix smiled.

"Galloping," Phoenix urged the stallion to stop and he did so with Deyran copying the motion. 

"Galloping?"

"Don't worry, you won't fall off and we will take it slow and work up to the gallop," Phoenix looked around and saw Rylen waving at her from the start of a trail. "Knight-Captain Rylen will also be with us." Deyran looked to where Phoenix was and saw the Knight-Captain sitting upon the back of a horse whose breeding was known as a Free Marches Ranger and raised a brow.

"Isn't he supposed to be helping Cullen with the troops?"

"Cullen is busy with reports," Phoenix nodded towards the encampment where Cullen was nowhere to be seen. Then she leaned towards Deyran and whispered in his ear, "Rylen ensured he would be almost busy with reports to notice that we would be gone for a couple of hours. When Cullen is done with reports, as I am sure he will be, Cassandra will take over from there and keep him distracted until a scout reports to her that we are on our way back." 

"you are sly." Deyran laughed out loud as Phoenix smiled as she sat upright again.

"We need you to get used to riding a horse at all speeds, and this was the only way to not have General Uptight up our asses and deciding when enough was enough for the day."

Deyran continued laughing, "Creators woman! I should keep you around just for the mayhem you cause!"

"Thats my job! And its Rylen's job to help, or keep me out of, trouble beings that he's like my older brother." Phoenix smiled again as she turned her horse to face where Rylen was and together she and Deyran went over to the man who nodded. 

"Trails all clear except for a few obstacles that will help with the Herald's riding training," Rylen told them as Phoenix nodded.

Turning to Deyran, she smiled back at him once more, "Ready?"

"As I can be," Deyran frowned as he wondered just what he had gotten himself into.

"You'll be fine, Herald," Rylen smiled reassuringly, "You have not one," Rylen nodded towards Phoenix, "But two expert riders at your front and at your back." 

"I know but still..." Phoenix watched Deyran then and smiled softly. 

"You'll do just fine, I waited this long to do the galloping part to ensure that you were comfortable with the other parts first. We wouldn't be doing the gallop if I didn't believe you could handle it," She reassured him as he nodded in understanding. 

"Alright..." He nodded once more, "I think I'm ready." He told her as she smiled, "Lead the way, Phoenix."

"Gladly, Rylen?"

"I'll take up the rear," Rylen nodded as Phoenix was the first to enter the trails path, with Deyran following and Rylen doing as he said he would with being the last to enter the trail, and in the distance, watching the three vanish stood the woman who Phoenix spoke of as the woman smiled. 

Some hours later, while Phoenix and the other two were still out riding, Cullen felt a headache rising and began to rub at his temples as Cassandra walked into the tent with a slight smile, "Commander, You may want to come see this." She told him as he frowned in wonder at what she meant. Getting up he followed her out of his tent and they walked over to the lake where the sight he was greeted by took his breath away. Sitting astride the stallion that had been giving Cullen so much trouble with breaking him in, was Phoenix and he swore his jaw almost dropped at the sight. The stallion's coat glistened in the dying light of the sun making him a stark contrast to the pure white of the snow, his ears were folded back as he galloped across the snowy ground, his mane and tail whipping back as he raced, but it was Phoenix who truly made the sight as majestic as it looked. Despite the fact that she was looking behind her towards the Herald and Rylen, likely making sure they were still back there as their horses slowly managed to catch up to the speed demon the stallion she rode was. When she turned back around to face forward he could see that her face was red from the bitter cold wind that was created as the stallion galloped and part of Cullen just knew that she was likely freezing despite the fact that she had a smile on her face (and despite the fact that she was wearing her usual Inquisition provided outfit which was supposed to be warm in this cold weather). The sight of Phoenix riding the stallion (who was looking more and more like a warhorse with each passing moment) had a shiver running down Cullen's spine, but the thought he would have had was thrown out the window due to the fact that he was worried about her being cold, that and he was pleased to see how carefree she was looking compared to when he had seen her in the war room and the smile that Cassandra saw cross his face was one of gentleness and held the purity of love (which in turn caused her romantic heart to squeeze as she watched the way he was watching Phoenix).

****

As night fell over the lands, Phoenix was standing on the dock at the lake when she felt a pair of strong and familiar arms wrap around her and turned her head to see Cullen looking down at her. "I saw you today."

"Oh?" 

"Cassandra managed to convince me to leave my tent to see you riding on the back of the stallion with the Herald and Rylen on their own horses. You were magnificent," Cullen told her as they spoke in hushed tones.

"Only you would say that," Phoenix smiled as he lowered his head to kiss her which she returned. After they pulled away from the kiss, Phoenix rested her head on his shoulder and he held her close. Holding her closer as a wind kicked up, he felt her shiver and knew she was cold now. 

"Come on, let's get you inside where you can warm back up and keep that way."

"You do know the nights are only getting colder right?"

"I know, that's why I'm going to be spending a lot more time with you, especially when night falls." He smiled as they walked off the dock and headed for her cabin, neither noticing that Deyran and Rylen were watching. 

Deyran shook his head, "They fell in love fast."

"Aye," Rylen nodded, "But it's happened quicker with others."

"Your not against it?"

"I may be a brother to her, and will protect her with my life, but I can see how happy she is with him. So long as he doesn't hurt her or even do something to break her heart and cause her to come to me with tears in her eyes, then I won't stand in the way."

Deyran smiled then and they stood in silence watching as Cullen and Phoenix vanished from sight. "Want to be on how soon they will be married?"

Rylen **_busted_** up laughing then, "I say about a month and a half."

"I give it a four months," Deyran smirked. 

"How much are you betting on that?" 

"Ten sovereigns."

"Deal," As Rylen and Deyran shook their hands and sealed in their bets, Cullen and Phoenix were discussing things people would normally consider to be nothing much more then small talk.

Cullen frowned as she told him about the place she had grown up. "A bear kept getting into the area?"

"Yes. My father tried everything to chase it away and keep it away, even managing to knock it out cold and have it transported as far away from the ranch as possible, but it kept coming back. I remember one night, I was up late and in the barn where we kept the mares as one of the mares was about to give birth and since I was the one always up at night it was my turn to watch for when she would deliver the foal. Little did I know that was also the same night that the bear decided to try and get into the same barn." Cullen looked to her with worry. "Luckily for me we had two very large dogs that were of a breed we called Bear Dogs and both of them were in the barn with me."

"Do I want to know?"

"They are really large dogs, like a child around roughly six to seven years old could ride one and they are pretty tall. They put a full grown male mabari to shame in height." Cullen's brows shot up but then Balto whined as if he couldn't believe what she said. "But we had to of them and I am glad we did, because we lived out on hundreds of acres of land and with as persistent as that bear was they were helpful, though the fight between the dogs, I and the bear was brutal."

"What happened to the bear?"

"Killed. We found out in the morning that it had killed the stable hand that had been patrolling around the stead to keep an eye out for it and I earn myself the scars on my arm."

"I noticed the scars. They were from the bear?"

"It claws just barely scratched me but it still landed a pretty nasty blow."

"What about the mare?"

"Had a healthy colt."

"What did you do with the bear?"

"My father had its head mounted and then had the fur made into a cloak for me."

"You have a bear fur cloak?"

"I did and I used it every winter until we had a barn fire one summer where it was stored," Phoenix told him as they drew closer to her cabin. "Would love to have one again but I don't think that will happen anytime soon."

"You never know," Cullen said as they reached her cabin and entered. But her words gave him an idea what to get her for the upcoming holiday. "Phoenix?"

"Yes?" 

"When's your birthday?"

"Technically the Thedosian calendar and my world's calenders are a bit different. To where you all have twelve months with thirty days each. Our months are different, one month in my world has only twenty-eight days while the others have a range of thirty to thirty-one days."

"Really?" 

"Yes," Phoenix nodded as Cullen closed the door. "But if I had to be specific, I was born on the thirtieth day of the fifth month, which is a spring going into summer time. But here it would likely be be more of a fall going into winter month." She turned to face Cullen to see that he had a thoughtful look on his face as he wrapped his head around her information. "Why?"

"No reason," He smiled as he snapped back to the present time. walking over to her, he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. "Your still cold," he commented as she smiled towards him then.

"Guess that means you get to warm me up?"

"Indeed," He smirked as he pulled her into an even deeper kiss while Balto laid before the door to act as a "door-stopper". 


	13. Twelve

Two days later found Phoenix sitting in the Singing Maiden but she wasn’t eating or drinking anything. No, she was sitting and thinking; about what, no one could really say until Rylen was sitting across from her. ”You look so deep in thought, lass. What’s bothering you?” 

”I'm...” she paused for the heartbeat of a moment. ”Rylen?”

”Yes?” 

”How long have I been here?” She looked up at him and he frowned as he thought the question over. 

”Roughly a month to two months. Why?” 

Phoenix sat there calculating something in her head before her eyes went wide. ”Impossible...” she breathed out as she reached a hand down to touch the area above her womb. Sending a small wave of healing magic through her body, she felt her magic wrap protectively around something that was in that area. 

”Phoenix? What’s wrong?” 

”I’ve been here for however long you said I have been. I haven’t had my...” Phoenix felt a form of shock go racing through her as her mind blanked out while her body basically froze up. 

At the same time the realization of what was happening within her body hit her, Rylen took his time figuring out what she meant before it too hit him. _”I'm going to kill him.”_ He snarled low before remembering that Phoenix was in a shocked state of mind. ”Phoenix?” He reached out to touch her but she didn't respond to his touch, at **_ALL_**. ” ** _Shit!_** ” Looking around he didn't want to alert the whole damn tavern to the fact that Phoenix was in a panicked state, then a whine caught his attention as Balto tried to get his imprinted person to touch him. ”Balto!” Rylen hissed as the war hound looked at him, ”Go fetch the Commander!” with that the dog bolted out of the nearest door like a bat outta hell while Rylen was softly, carefully, trying to get Phoenix to respond to anything.

As Balto tore through the town then towards the encampment, his brown eyes landed upon Cullen who was watching the troops from his tent. Barking as he raced up to the man, he watched as Cullen looked to him with confusion and whined as he came to a halt. ”What is it? Where is Phoe-!” Cullen suddenly looked around before turning back towards the Mabari who whined again. ”Balto where is she?” 

Another whine, this one with more worry and urgency as Balto moved away before looking at the man with a plea in his eyes for him to follow.

Cullen didn't care who saw him go tearing after the hound, for all Cullen knew Phoenix was in grave danger and he would be damned if he didn't go tearing after the hound, but then again _EVERYONE_  on Thedas knew that if a mabari came running up to you barking and whining without their imprinted person with them then said person was in some form of danger. When he reached the Tavern he followed Balto in and together, he and Balto made a beeline for where Phoenix sat shaking and shivering like a leaf in the autumn wind while Rylen was speaking in soft whispers. ”Phoenix?! Are you alright?” Cullen asked as Rylen turned to the man. 

”She’s in shock and I am half tempted to kill you right now," Rylen told the man who ignored that last part for the moment. 

Walking up to Phoenix, he knelt down and took both of her hands into his (but not before noticing where one of her hands rested on her stomach), "Kill me later," Cullen finally responded to Rylen. They needed to get her out of the shocked state she was in as a mage in shock was a very bad thing. "What all have you tried?"

"Everything that we were taught to do when a Mage enters a shocked state, but none of it has worked," Rylen wanted to kill Cullen but Phoenix was the main concern at that moment. 

Cullen frowned for a moment before he sighed and began speaking to Phoenix in a soft tone. When Phoenix finally stirred, she could feel Cullen's thumbs rubbing circles onto the back of her hands and soon turned her gaze towards him. Cullen was sure he heard Rylen sigh in relief but Phoenix didn't give either man a chance to speak. "Cullen?"

"I'm here," Cullen nodded, "Rylen had Balto come get me. What happened?" He saw Phoenix's eyes flick over to Rylen who dipped his head slightly to whatever unasked question was between them. 

"Not here," Phoenix responded as she felt him remove his hands, but as she went to stand Rylen spoke. 

"I'm coming with you this time Lass," Rylen told her as she nodded. He was going to follow them for two reasons. One was to see how the Commander would react to the news she had for him, the second was make sure that Cullen understood the gravity of the situation. Phoenix nodded to his statement and soon she, Cullen and Rylen headed off to her cabin where the bombshell she dropped on the Commander had Rylen smirking as Cullen's train of thought derailed. 

****

An hour would pass before Cullen would speak, of course that was an hour that Phoenix had to watch him with worry as well as pace. "You're..." Cullen couldn't believe what she had told him yet there was a part of him **_KNEW_** that she was speaking the truth. "How long?"

"Not very. I didn't even realize it until I asked Rylen how long I have been here."

"And that's when you?"

"I checked. But I want to be safe and make sure so I will have another healer double check." 

Rylen, who was leaning against the wall smiled then, "I can have one of the scouts go fetch one of the healers right now." He looked between Cullen, who was sitting down at Phoenix's desk, and Phoenix and saw both nod. Removing himself from the wall, Rylen turned and exited the building to call for a scout and soon stepped back in. Cullen rubbed at his face as Phoenix stopped in her pacing to look at him worriedly, suddenly a knock sounded at the door and Rylen let the person in. Thankfully it was one of the Healers and with a quick check over the Healer, an older woman, confirmed what Phoenix knew. 

For several moments no one in the room spoke after the healer gave her congratulations and left. Phoenix sat on her bed with head down as she tried to gather her bearings, Rylen watched her carefully and Cullen frowned before getting up and going over to her. "Phoenix? What's the matter?"

"I was always told that this," she motion to her stomach, "That I would never be able to have children and that even if I did manage to get with child, it would never last... that I have a high chance of miscarrying." 

"They must have been lying to you," Cullen frowned as he knelt down in front of her and placed a hand on her cheek causing her to look up at him. "I promise you, I will do everything in my ability to ensure that you and our child are safe." He promised as Balto hopped up onto the bed and lay next to her with head resting on Phoenix's lap.

"I hope you can keep that promise."

"I will try my hardest to," He told her as he pulled Phoenix close for a hug. He could feel Rylen's eyes on him and knew what the man was thinking without the need for him to say it: If Cullen did anything to break his promise to Phoenix there would be no place that would be safe for the Commander to hide. But Cullen would never dare harm Phoenix, not now nor ever and while Rylen understood that, the threat that was more of a promise still remained. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well Rylen is damn near ready to kill Cullen. 
> 
> Also as a side note: I'm sure you all have noticed that I made this story apart of a series and that is for a reason, I am working on a second story to this one where Phoenix arrived in Thedas around the start of the DA2 events but in that story Phoenix is not a mage but will be a Templar. When it will be published I'm not going to say as it could be as soon as tomorrow or even a week from now but it will be published eventually. Her background in that story will be a bit different but will, for the most part, be the same.


	14. Thirteen (Slight NSFW)

A week later, Cullen stood outside the Command tent and was watching as Rylen trained the latest batch of recruits but found that his mind was more focused on Phoenix and their child she carried within her. A part of Cullen was still in shock that he was going to be a father as that was a thing he had always figured to never be able to happen while he’d still been part of the Templar Order, yet he was also absolutely beyond the words of thrilled to discover that he AND Phoenix were getting the thing they both had never dared to dream of ever seeing happen: Parenthood. Closing his eyes for a moment, Cullen smiled as he allowed his imagination to run wild as he envisioned a little girl or boy running around and somewhere in that imaginary world he saw Phoenix heavy with another child sired by him and the thought of that damn near made him hard. Opening his eyes, he wondered what Phoenix was doing at that moment since they had decided that she was no longer allowed to do any training with her daggers to hopefully lower the chances of her possibly miscarrying. The fact alone that she was a good three to four weeks into the pregnancy (and the fact that this was her first pregnancy) and had not yet miscarried was something that had both Phoenix and Cullen counting their blessings, but they knew that the danger of her miscarrying was not yet over. Suddenly a thought overcame him and he frowned. _Phoenix needs a cloak or something heavy to keep her warm..._ He thought to himself as he wondered what would work to keep her comfortably warm in this freezing weather and then he mentally facepalmed as he remembered what she had told him some time ago about wanting another bear fur cloak.

”Commander?” A voice spoke up as Cullen looked towards the owner.

”Rylen,” Cullen raised a brow. 

”What are you thinking about?” 

”I need to get a cloak for Phoenix. Something that will help keep her, and our child, warm in this weather.” 

”We still have the fur of the bear you slew the other day. Could see if the seamstress can make something out of that for her.” Cullen looked towards the man in surprise and Rylen smirked, ”You forgot about the bear didn’t you.” 

”I did,” Cullen nodded before he smiled and then chuckled, causing Rylen to lift a brow. ”That’s actually rather ironic now that I think about it.” 

”What do you mean?” 

”Phoenix told me that she used to have a bear fur cloak when she was younger. Killed the bear herself if I remember the story correctly.” 

”Let me guess? Something happened to it and she admitted to wanting another one?” Cullen nodded then and Rylen smiled as he saw the irony in it. ”Well, the fur is still around. Might want to talk to the resident seamstress about it.” 

”I plan on it.” And that was exactly what Cullen did. After speaking with the woman, once the fur had been retrieved and the seamstress had looked it over to see what she could do with it, Cullen smiled as he also realized that he very likely had a really early Satinalia present for Phoenix. 

While Cullen was off talking with the seamstress about the cloak, Phoenix found herself in her cabin writing down a few lists of thing that would be needed for when the babe was estimated to be born and was smiling. Oh, she was beyond sure that once Josephine heard about the coming arrival the needs of both her and the babe would be seen too, it was, after all, in Josephine’s nature to see to the needs of everyone (though part of Phoenix knew that Josephine would melt once the child was born) and that brought a smile to Phoenix’s face. The spymaster, however, was another matter entirely. Leliana already knew that Phoenix was with child, and thus had made a point to stop by almost every day for the past week with _SOMETHING_ that she was sure Phoenix would enjoy nibbling on as they discussed possible baby names for either of the possible genders the baby could be. ”Three...Two...One.” Just as Phoenix finished counting down a knock sounded at the door and she smirked. Calling out for the person to enter she wasn’t really surprised to see Leliana walk in, but she was surprised to see that Josephine had joined her this time around. ”Good afternoon Leliana, Josephine.” 

”Phoenix,” Josephine smiled as she approached Phoenix. ”Why didn't you tell me you were expecting?” 

Phoenix looked to Leliana who found the wall suddenly interesting. ”I'm going out on a limb here and guessing that Leliana spilled the beans?” 

”Only after we were halfway through a bottle of wine.” Leliana spoke as Josephine shook her head. Soon the women sat speaking of baby names and what all Phoenix was noticing during this first month of the pregnancy (which honestly wasn’t much). Then Josephine turned to Phoenix with a worried expression. 

”We will have to make sure that you and the Commander have everything you will need for the baby once he or she is here.”

”I'm already one step ahead of you Josephine,” Phoenix smiled as she handed over the list she had made. 

Josephine looked the list over and frowned. ”You're missing the teething ring.” 

”I left that out on purpose.” 

”Oh?” 

”I've made a discovery that since I became pregnant,” She held out her hand and summoned a small amount of ice to her hand, ”I can call to the frost abilities but it’s very little, as if my magic understands who is on their way.” Leliana smirked at that and Josephine smiled. 

”I must ask now,” Josephine spoke up then, ”How is the Commander taking this?” 

Phoenix smiled, ”Surprisingly very well. I think he’s still in a bit of disbelief that this,” Phoenix touched her stomach, ”was possible, but I don't blame him. I'm still surprised that this little life growing inside of me is possible.” 

”He hasn’t started mother henning you?” 

”He does that already,” Leliana smiled as Phoenix looked to her. ”If I've heard correctly, you are no longer allowed to train with your daggers?” 

”You are correct. We are hoping that it lowers the chance of a possible miscarriage but to be completely honest, I'm still a great deal worried that it will happen.” 

Leliana frowned, ”We will try to ensure that you will have the ability to have the little one. You both deserve happiness.” 

”Thank you Leliana,” Phoenix smiled as Leliana returned it. 

”I will also see to the list, but will also see to it that any cravings you develop are seen to,” Josephine smiled as well.

Phoenix nodded then and they went back to discussing names and Phoenix wondered when Deyran would return from the place known as Redcliffe so she could tell him the news that was now buzzing around the Inner Circle. But as it would be, Deyran returned a week later, with the mages from Redcliffe in tow but Phoenix did not go speak to him right as he returned. No, she sought out Cassandra to ask the woman a favor she hoped would never be needed. Finding the woman putting her weapon and shield away in her tent, Phoenix carefully approached and Cassandra turned to see her. ”Phoenix?” she inquired as Phoenix smiled.

”I have something I would like to speak to you about but first have you heard the news?” 

”What news?” Cassandra wondered what Phoenix meant but once she was told her head went reeling and suddenly she smiled. ”You and the Commander are...?” Phoenix nodded and Cassandra felt a giddiness rise up from somewhere within her chest. ”What do you need of me?” 

”A favor I hope and pray will never be needed.” 

Cassandra understood then what Phoenix was saying without actually saying it. ”If it ever comes to the boy, or girl, wanting to become a Templar, You have my word I will take them away from that and train them to be a Seeker instead.” 

”Thank you,” Phoenix smiled as she felt relief wash over her. ”I know about Cullen’s withdrawals and I would hate to see...”

”I know,” Cassandra nodded. ”If we can spare your child the same fate then I will see it done,” Then she couldn't help but ask her next question. ”Have you decided on names?” 

Phoenix smiled as she motioned towards the Chantry, ”Why don't we walk and talk about it?” And with that, the two women walked and spoke of what names Phoenix was deciding on for the baby. 

****

Cullen stood speaking with the troops that he had picked to head up to where the Breach was located with the Herald and soon dismissed them after they were briefed. He had a gut-wrenching feeling that something bad was going to happen but he wasn’t entirely sure what it was that had him so ill at ease. Deciding to speak with Phoenix, he sought her out after Deyran, the mages and the soldiers left and found her in their cabin (he had decided to just move in with her due to the fact that he was now with her every night anyway) drawing as she was want to do after having a bit of a too quiet day. ”Are you alright?” he asked softly as she looked up towards him. 

”Never better. Why?” 

”Just a bad feeling I'm having,” He told her as she frowned. 

”Has Deyran already left?” 

”He, the mages and some of the soldiers have, yes,” Cullen nodded as she gained a thoughtful look. ”Is something wrong?” 

”I don’t know why but I swear I feel like I’m forgetting something important,” she told him as he wondered if it had to do with his bad feeling.

Deciding to shake it off, he shook his head. ”It will likely come back to you soon.” he said as he locked the door while she returned to drawing. Going to her side he leaned down to kiss her on the back of her neck and she shivered causing him to smirk. 

”Cullen Rutherford!” she pursed her lips as he turned to her. 

”Yes, my firebird?” 

”Isn't a little too early to start that?” 

”It might be, but I find that I am insatiable when it comes to being with you.” he told her as he pulled away to walk over and sit on the bed as Balto moved to ensure the door was blocked. Phoenix smirked then, he had aroused her (which they had discovered was easier for him to do now that their shared shock was ended) and she stood to walk over to him. He pulled her into his lap and she felt how hard he was, and lowered her head to kiss him. 

”You have been imagining that scene again haven't you?” she asked as he smirked up at her. 

”I can't help it. You cast some sort of spell over me, mage, and I find myself helpless to defy it.” 

”Then maybe I should help you to overcome it, shouldn't I, my dear Templar?” Cullen growled low at her calling him her Templar and nuzzled into her neck. 

”We will have to be quick, I could be called away at any moment.” 

”That’s fine, we can take it slow later,” She nodded as she swiftly removed her weight from on top of him and swiftly removed her pants and smalls as he removed his coat, armor and swiftly loosened his pants to free his hard cock. Once he was sitting again, he pulled Phoenix close and wetted the tip of his cock with her slick, before slowly sliding into her as she straddled him. Before he could speak, she claimed his lips and he moaned as she slowly began to ride him. Suddenly the image of her soon to be heavier with his child send a thrill through him and he placed his hands on her hips, encouraging her to move faster. He let that image linger in his mind as he lay down and she felt herself begin moving faster as she once more realized that she was the cause for this Lion of a man to fully surrender himself to her. That she was the one who made him hard as stone with just the thought of being in her and soon she found herself riding him as hard and as fast as possible as the sounds of the lovemaking grew in intensity. Suddenly she felt herself clench around him and gasped as she entered into that sweet oblivion. He followed shortly after with his own end claiming him and they continued on for several more moments as their ends claimed them twice more and each time his seed was shot into her and coated her walls. Cullen sat up and pulled her forehead to his, and as they sat there, eyes closed, Phoenix couldn't help the words that came out of her mouth. "I love you."

They opened their eyes, Phoenix in surprise that she said those words out loud and Cullen with wonder which soon turned into the most loving look she had ever seen come from the man. "I love you too, and our child." He touched her still flat stomach and she smiled as she felt tears of joy well up in her eyes as they returned to resting their foreheads together. What they weren't expecting, however, was for their joy to be short lived.


	15. Fourteen

Phoenix walked through the forest outside of the makeshift camp where the Inquisition had retreated to with arms wrapped around herself. In her excitement for the fact that she and Cullen had made what she had believed impossible, possible, she had forgotten the singular fact that Haven would be attacked _AFTER_ Deyran closed the Breach and was now kicking herself mentally at her own stupidity as well as feeling tears stream down along her face as she realized that that very morning, two days after the attack, she had miscarried the babe. Cullen, for his part, was still reeling from the news she had dropped on him, and thus she had figured it to be a good idea to give him some space while he absorbed the news that they would no longer be having a child. There were no words she could say, no sounds she could make as a human woman, that could describe the pain she felt at the loss of the unborn life that had not yet even truly begun; yet, deep within her, own soul (which she sometimes swore was that of the very creature she was named after) cried out in the pain the loss of the child had left in the wake. Suddenly, as if her pain had called out to him, she heard a voice and looked over to see none other then the spirit turned young man named Cole having appeared. "He didn't want to leave," Cole started softly as he tentatively walked over to where Phoenix had finally collapsed onto the snow. "He wanted to stay. To be born to you both. But he promises to return." Cole watched her from underneath his signature oversized hat and, knowing what Cole was like, Phoenix somehow just understood what the spirit-boy meant. Then she watched as he tilted his head a bit in confusion as he studied her. "You are bright, but the fire doesn't hurt. White and blue. Dangerous but gentle. You want to fly but are afraid to." Cole watched her with wonder as Phoenix watched him carefully. "Are you a Firebird?" he inquired as she nodded. 

"I was named after it," She nodded in response as she figured out what Cole was inquiring about. "I am Phoenix. A firebird." He helped her to stand. 

"You are pretty," Cole then tilted his head to the other side then. "Don't hide. Take flight." As she went to ask for him to tell her more he vanished leaving her confused as she stood there.

"What...just happened?" She wondered before shaking her head and attempted to make her way back to the encampment only to stop as the loud snap of a fallen branch had her freeze in her tracks. Turning her head in the direction the sound had come from, Phoenix looked into the shadows of the forest around her but couldn't see much of anything until a movement caught her attention and turning halfway to get a better look, she cussed as she watched a large bear come walking out of the forest. Not daring to move, Phoenix watched as it looked around for a moment but the moment it locked eyes with her, she knew she was screwed as she watched it rear back onto its -his- hind legs and roared at it. "fuck me..." Phoenix growled low as she went to reach for her daggers, but as her hands clasped on nothing but air, the realization that she was stupid hit her as she suddenly remembered leaving them behind in Haven. "Fuck." Looking around Phoenix tried to remember what tricks to use to get away from or lose the bear but nothing was coming to her mind and so she did the only thing she could do. Pray that someone would come along soon. 

Luckily for her, Balto, Rylen, Deyran AND Cullen were out searching for her. "Where could she be?" Deyran inquired as he and the two other men looked from one another. Before one of the other two could speak, Balto _HOWLED_ at the same time the roar of the bear reached them and all three men looked at each other with eyes widening before they tore off after the dog. Coming to a stop, all three saw Phoenix barely managing to leap out of the way of the bears claws as they came down upon her and she yelped out as the claws cut into her sleeve. Looking towards her right arm after she finished rolling to a kneeling position, they heard her curse her luck and suddenly Deyran remembered the daggers he was carrying despite being a sword and shield kind of person and yanking them free of his belt he called out to her and she looked in his direction as he  _flung_ the still sheathed blades in her direction with all the strength he could muster. Thankfully, Deyran had just just enough power in him as they watched her catch the blades and unsheathe them in one go, but instead of keeping the blades facing outwards, she flipped them around to hold them in a "reverse" position and that left all three men wondering just what she was doing (or in this case planning). Shaking their heads, all three drew their weapons and prepared to join her when suddenly, _ALL_ of the blades ignited in Phoenix's unique white and blue fire and the men shared a looked between them before they rushed forward to aid her and Balto, who was also somehow coated in her fire giving the War Hound a stranger look then it should have as his forepaws, elbows, back paws, throat, shoulders and hackles (which to Cullen gave the dog a maned look) were wrapped in the white and blue flames. The battle between the four warriors, Phoenix and the bear ended just as swiftly as it had begun, but even as the group stood their watching the bear lay dead at their feet, none of them felt as if the creature had deserved the brutal ending it had gotten but it was too late for that now. 

Cullen turned to Phoenix to see her looking at the bear before she turned to him as she felt his eyes fall on her and as their eyes met, Cullen heard the words of the stranger Seer that he had accidentally run into in Kirkwall before leaving to become the Commander of the Inquisition echo in his skull.  _"... And you will find a bird unlike any you have ever seen before. A Phoenix who is not a phoenix. You will see that she is ready to attempt to fly, but will watch as she retreats into herself briefly before you watch her rise as brightly as the sun. You will witness the awakening of the first true Phoenix but that awakening will not be for many moons to come, not until after the black wolf with red eyes greatly angers her. But as all things rise, you will be witness to her fall as well. "_ And now Cullen wondered if that woman's little speel of words were not to just for him for Phoenix as well and if they did, he wondered what "awakening" Phoenix would be going through to cause him to watch her "arise as brightly as the sun".

Though that wonder would pass as several days later, after the fight with the bear, Phoenix found herself walking with the Inquisition to what she knew to be their new home but she noticed that as they grew closer to it, she felt as if it was reaching out for her. Calling to her and this did not go missed by Solas who, almost a week later, motioned for her to come with him and Deyran who nodded to her as she drew closer. "You can sense it, can't you Da'len?" 

"I can but its not anything I've ever felt before," Phoenix nodded as Deyran and her caught up to Solas. "But why do you..." Phoenix trailed off as she turned to where Solas was looking and felt herself unable to look away as Solas announced to Deyran what the place was. 

"Skyhold," It was Skyhold, that much was true, but it looked like different to how Phoenix remembered it to look like from the game. Where the game version had been huge in its own rights, the real life version was _MASSIVE_ and took her breath away. While Skyhold looked mostly like its in-game counterpart, it also greatly differed as well. Where the game version had roughly seven towers (eight if a person counted the first gatehouse like area that lead to the bridge) this one had all of those plus five more. The Main hall was three to four floors taller, the walls higher, the bridge just as long if not longer then the in-game one, and the gates much larger, but somehow Phoenix knew that the courtyard and garden were going to be much larger as well. As Phoenix looked to Solas the elven man smiled and nodded to her, giving her the okay but spoke in a whisper while she began to walk away. _"Welcome home, Phoenix."_  

And home she was. The magic that rested within the very walls of Skyhold reached out towards her, yearning for her touch, to wrap her in it's arms as it called her to it and she gladly answered as she reached out her own magic to it and felt it's protective magic wrap around hers, which in turn told her that no matter what, the magic within Skyhold would lash out at any who bore its future inhabitants any form of ill will. While she allowed her feet to take her closer to the Inquisition's new home, _HER_ new home as well, she chanced a glance down towards the valley where she knew a future encampment would be and her brows rose as she saw that it was actually much larger then its in-game counterpart as well. She felt a small tug and smiled as she returned her gaze to the fortress that loomed before her. "I'm coming, Tarasyl'an Te'las." She told the fortress despite it being an "inanimate" place. But then again, to anyone who wasn't her, Skyhold would be just that. An Inanimate place with magic having somehow seeped into the very foundations, the very bones, of the fortress. But to Phoenix, it was **_ALIVE_** , alive and breathing in its own unique way and now she had every intention of learning its secrets, to explore its every nook and cranny, even if their were possibly giant spiders lurking within it (not that she gave two flying rips as she knew the fortress would protect her). 

Sometime later, Cullen stood in the courtyard of the fortress focusing on telling the scouts what to do as they came and went, he would listen to their reports in turn before sending them off again, but as soon as the last scout left he found himself wondering where Phoenix had run off to. Standing straight, he looked around the courtyard but there was no sign of her and part of him wondered if she had gotten lost. Continuing to look around, he was relieved to see her standing by the entrance to what would soon be a massive garden split into roughly three sections, speaking with Deyran who was now the Inquisitor before she turned and disappeared as if something was calling her away. Suddenly a voice spoke up next to him and Cullen damn near jumped out of his skin as he realized that the strange boy who called himself Cole appeared next to him. "It speaks to her. It tells her its secrets. She is home. A piece of it once lost." Cole wasn't looking at Cullen despite talking to him, then Cole tilted his head. _"Tarasyl'an Te'las, I am home. This is where I belong. This is what I have been looking for all my life."_ Cole spoke as they watched Phoenix reappear from wherever she had vanished too. "She is bright. But she can rest here and allow herself to dim. A firebird returned to her nest." Cullen watched Cole for a moment before the boy blinked and suddenly vanished again, leaving Cullen with figurative hackles raised at how he was able to do that.

Cullen looked towards Phoenix to see her now playing with Balto whose whole butt was wiggling as his front half went to the ground as she prepared to throw his ball, and Cullen couldn't help but chuckle as he watched her throw it in the direction she knew no one else would be in and watched as the Hound went tearing after it, showing off just how much like a war dog he really was with his speed (and apparently his lack of grace as well as he slipped on some of the mud that was around). Cullen then felt Phoenix's eyes fall on him and looked into her eyes to see her smile at him and returned it before his eyes widened causing her to turn in time to be knocked to the ground by a muddy Balto who then proceeded to lick her as she squealed at him earning laughter from Cullen and others as she told the dog  who was now busy rubbing the mud off of himself and onto her as he pinned her to the ground. "AH! BALTO!" She called out as the hound soon began to roll around in the mud as she leapt up and looked herself over. Cullen watched Rylen walk up and tease her and raised a brow as the man began walking away only for Cullen to end up  ** _BUSTING_** up laughing as Rylen was hit, smack dab on the back of the head, with a ball of mud. Cullen continued to watch Rylen as the man turned on a dime after being hit and charged playfully at Phoenix who immediately Fade-stepped away from his reach at the last minute to throw another ball of mud at the man who then turned and threw one at her at the last moment. Phoenix wiped the mud from around her eyes and watched as Rylen was hit from the side by another mud ball and all of them saw the strange elf woman named Sera laughing as she joined in only to be pelted with a mud ball from both Rylen and Phoenix who laughed before suddenly be knocked off her feet by Balto who went tearing through her legs and Cullen shook his head as he watched the now three way mud war really begin. Moving away from his makeshift desk, Cullen was preparing to put on his armor and coat (he had taken them off as it was rather warm) but just before he could pick up the breastplate he felt a ball of mud hit him in the back of the head and turned to the three he knew to be acting like children and saw Phoenix looking shocked as she realized that instead of hitting whomever she had planned on hitting, she had instead hit him and before she could react properly, Cullen made a beeline for her and hoisted her up and soon dropped her into some mud as she squealed, but just as he prepared to turn and walk away she leapt up, grabbed his arm and pulled him to the ground with her and soon he too was covered in mud, but by the time he recovered, Phoenix was already up and running and flung another mud ball at Rylen who gladly returned the favor only to be pelted by one from Cullen. This little war of theirs went on for a good hour or two before one of them accidentally hit Cassandra who turned to see who had throw it and suddenly all four scattered like roaches under a light with Sera going one way, Rylen another and Phoenix and Cullen heading another but all where laughing as they vanished from the Seeker's gaze even though she only smiled as she watch the four vanish.  


	16. Fifteen (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know its more NSFW. But have some more anyway along with some fluff because these two deserve all the fluffiness in all the worlds (I see you over there Lady_Trevelyan84. You can't hide from me and I know you've been waiting patiently for this chapter)

Phoenix smiled as she began to wash her hair, or well she attempted to when she heard Cullen chuckle. "Let me," He smiled as he removed her hands to begin aiding her with getting her hair clean. They were in a closed off area of the ”bathing rooms” that was meant only for couples and they were thankful that they were the only two in there at this time (but then again it was around midnight and no one but the two of them were up to use said room). ”Better?” he asked as she purred her answer causing him to smirk as he finished getting her hair cleaned from all the excess oil her hair naturally (and forever seemingly over) produced. 

”Much,” She purred as she opened her eyes to look at him. ”My turn,” She smiled as he sat down in the water and soon she began to help him clean out his hair. Nothing was said between them as she gently rubbed at his scalp earning his eyes being closed, but then she noticed that as his hair was freed of whatever the Thedosian version of hair produced was, it began to curl and she gave a slight chuckle. 

”What?” he inquired as she fought back a smile.

”I am only now realizing that you have curls,” she told him as he sighed. 

”And they are annoying.” 

”Oh, believe me, I know.” 

”How? I have never seen your hair curl.” 

”That’s because of two reasons.” 

”Oh?” 

”One of those reasons is the fact that I keep my hair short.” 

”My hair is always short and it still curls.” 

”The second is that I have ”trained” my hair to hide the curls.” 

”How can you train your hair?” Cullen inquired as she finished washing his hair out, but then he pulled her into his lap and she smiled as she felt his hard member pressing against her folds.

”Very easily, plus I’m a mage,” she shifted a bit and he groaned as he soon pressed up against her entrance. ”I can just warm up my hands and run them through my hair to help dry it up.”

”Interesting,” He replied before suddenly rolling his hips and causing to her moan as he slowly began to enter her. 

”Cullen...” She moaned out his name and he smirked. 

”I know I should wait but I’ve been waiting for a week now. I don’t want to wait any longer,” He growled as he slowly began to raise his hips to thrust into her as her fingers began to dig into his shoulders. ”Ride me, Love. I want to see you come undone.” He commanded her, and she gladly complied. He felt her begin to move as she began to ride him, and both knew that this slow pace wouldn't last long with as long as they had been waiting and it didn’t as soon, they began to go harder and faster. The water moved with Phoenix as she moved on top of Cullen (whose eyes by this point had closed) and she felt herself bend back as he growled low and began to match her speed. She moaned as quietly as she could and Cullen’s eyes snapped open. ”Don’t be quiet, let them hear you. Let them know that you belong to me!” He snarled as he rose up to slam into her and she cried out as he set a brutal pace, a pace that she was sure would leave one or both of them wanting more. Suddenly she couldn’t control herself and soon met his demands as she continued to ride him into their climax which crashed over them both as he gave one last hard thrust causing both to call out the name of the other (Her calling out his name as if she were an actual phoenix crying out and him roaring her name as if he were a lion and not a man). After they came down from their shared high, Phoenix looked to him and he smiled. 

”What happened to those rumors I heard of Templars always being good little chantry boys.” 

Cullen chuckled, ”Looks like those rumors vanished into thin air.” he told her as her arms wrapped around the back of his neck as they kissed. ”What about you? I thought you were a good little mage.” 

Phoenix chuckled then, ”Well apparently you thought wrong. I have never been a ”good little mage” because what fun is there in being good when all the naughty girls get to have fun?” 

”Mmn, point made,” He smiled as he kissed her. ”But you must be especially naughty.” 

”And what makes you say that?” Phoenix inquired as Cullen lifted himself up and caused her to moan. 

”The fact that you are so willing to be punished,” he explained as she shivered. 

”Then how about you give me my punishment somewhere a little more...” he thrust into her again, ”Private?” She managed as he smirked. 

”After we finish our bath,” he told her as he continued to thrust into her before causing yet another wave of pleasure to come crashing down on them. After that, he decided to wash the scent of their intimacy off of them both and soon they removed themselves from the bath and, after dressing in clean clothing, headed to their room (which was the loft that was above his new office) but the moment they climbed up the ladder to head to bed Cullen had a thought strike him and he turned to Phoenix. ”Phoenix?” 

”Hmn?” she hummed as she looked up towards him from where she lay on the bed.

Cullen moved closer to her then and soon joined her on the bed only to swiftly pin her to it as he kissed her on the lips before beginning to move along her jaw. ”If I asked you to use some of your magic right now as we make love, would you?” 

”That would require _A LOT_ of trust on your part considering I’m still new to using magic. But if you wanted me to I would.”

"Maybe some other day," He nuzzled his nose against hers, "it was just a thought I had." He pulled away to lay down on the bed before he reached over and pulled her into his embrace. Phoenix, for her part, was happy to snuggle up to him as he served not only as a human version of a heater but also as the person she most needed at that moment as her thoughts turned dark. ”What’s the matter?” he asked softly as if suddenly sensing her darkening mood. 

”How did you?”

”You tend to make a small noise when your thoughts begin to betray you and I just happened to be watching your face. You’re also very expressive in your facial features when your moods change,” Cullen told her as she realized that he was right. ”What’s wrong?” he asked again as she sighed before telling him what was starting to darken her mood. 

”...but there is also so much more I’m worried about that I just...” 

”Look at me, my firebird,” Cullen told her softly as she did so, ”Things will get better. Yes, everything that’s happened so far hasn’t been ideal, and we may have lost something that should have been our first introduction into a new start for both of us,” he told her as he rested his hand over her stomach (unknowingly causing her heart to flutter), ”But things will get better, and hopefully, along the way, we may get to have a second chance at the one thing we both yearn for.”

”But what if...” 

”Then we will try again and again until you finally do manage to carry our child long enough for you to birth them into this world.” Cullen promised her as he tightened his grip on her. 

”Don’t make a girl a promise you can’t keep.” 

”I fully intend on keeping that particular promise,” Cullen smirked as he kissed her forehead before kissing her lips gently. ”Now come here, my beautiful firebird,” he smirked as he pulled her closer. ”I think we both need to get some sleep before whatever antics tomorrow will bring.” 

”Tomorrow is the day that everyone needs to get their measurements taken for that dance at the Winter Palace.” She reminded the man who groaned. 

”You just had to remind me.”

”You won’t be the only one suffering through it,” She reminded him softly. ”I have to have mine taken as well.” 

”At least I will get to see that-Ow!” 

”You deserved that,” Phoenix smiled with a giggle as Cullen smiled at her before she turned her head away to yawn. 

”Come on, love,” He gave her the most tender look she had ever seen from him, ”Let’s get some sleep.” 

”Agreed.” With that, Phoenix snuggled as close to him as she could and he tightened his hold on her as both allowed themselves to slip away into the Fade where, for the first time that he could recall, Cullen had no nightmares whatsoever.


	17. Sixteen

Phoenix was bored and Balto was laying on her feet with paws moving while he boofed as he dreamed of whatever dogs dreamed of and she smiled. Managing to removed a foot from under him she rubbed at his side, earning a groan and stretch from Balto as he woke briefly before passing right back out. "Lazy dog," Phoenix smiled as she leaned back in the chair she was sitting in to look around her properly. Several weeks had passed since they had arrived in Skyhold (more than likely a whole month but she wasn't really paying attention to that) and yet she felt as if an eternity had passed, in a good way. She felt as if she had come home to a place that she had never known as an actual home and some part of her was amazed at that, yet that didn't stop her boredom from showing up as fiercely as it was; deciding that now would be a good time as any, Phoenix stood and looked to Balto, "Come on boy, we need to head down to the stables to check on the horses, harts and Dracolisks." She told the war hound who stretched before he yawned and stood to follow her. Passing by the newest Noble arrivals who were, of course (and much to her disparity) Orlesion. Stopping as she exited the main hall, Phoenix looked around and stopped at the top of the stairs to cross her arms as she watched the soldiers who were training below with Rylen watching and barking at them. 

"You'll get cold if you stay out here," The warm voice of her beloved Commander spoke up as she felt something being settled upon her shoulder. 

Turning her gaze to see Cullen moving to stand at her side, Phoenix smiled before she realized what was on her shoulders, "A cloak?"

"Made from the fur of two great bears," Cullen smiled as Phoenix watched him, "I remember what you told me and figured that I would have another one made. Originally I had planned on making a gift of it for you when..." His voice trailed away, and Phoenix reached out to him. 

"Let's let things settle before we mourn that too much."

"Will it ever settle?"

"We've only been here for a few months," Phoenix smiled towards him as she moved closer to him, "Give it a couple more months, besides, before then a surprise is waiting for me to tell you." Cullen looked towards Phoenix with confusion. 

"What?"

"Later my love," Phoenix told him with a smile before she leaned towards him to lay a gentle kiss upon his lips which he returned. "I'll let you figure out what I mean." Pulling away, Phoenix whistled for Balto, who had been rolling around in the grass, and soon vanished towards the direction of the stables while Cullen frowned. Shaking his head Cullen began to walk towards the blacksmiths area to speak with Cassandra but stopped when two young boys raced in front of him and caused his thoughts to stop as he watched them carefully. 

 _It would be nice to have a son of my own. But I wonder what Phoenix meant when she said..._ Suddenly, as if the Maker himself slapped Cullen upside the head, the Commander stopped in _**ALL**_ forms of tracks as he watched the boys disappear. "Is she...?" Turning, Cullen started walking in the direction of the stables and soon found himself entering as he heard the sounds of the many forms of mounts and looked around to see if he could spot Phoenix. "Phoenix?" Cullen began walking towards the horses and soon saw her stepping out of the stall of the Inquisitor's horse. 

"You figured it out?" She smiled at him as he noticed that her hair was tied back. 

"Are you really?" 

"Had another healer check and apparently Cole was able to confirm it," Cullen wasn't able to understand the reason that Phoenix liked the strange spirit-boy, but right now he couldn't think about that as his excitement nearly overwhelmed him. Heading over to her, Cullen swiftly kissed her upon the lips with a smile.

"How long?" 

"Not very, but the healers are concerned and have ordered me to not do too much work."

"Then you shouldn't be doing to much," He told her before remembering that they were in the stables. "Why are you in the stables?" 

"The Inquisitor's horse," She motioned towards the horse who Cullen noted had a nasty gash upon his leg. "I am the only person anyone could think of who can heal the injuries of animals without spooking them." 

"Don't use to much of your mana," Cullen told her as Phoenix smiled. 

"I have to clean the wound before I close it," She responded as she moved towards the horse who nickered softly as Cullen moved towards his head to touch his muzzle. "Keep him still, this is going to cause him to likely try and rear." She grabbed the rag she had been using to clean around the wound, rinsed it off with some of her magic before warming it up and dipping it in some form of solution to take it back to the wound. 

Cullen looked to the horse and smiled, "You're a lucky boy," He said softly as he turned back to watch as Phoenix began to clean out the infection in the wound causing the gelding to snort and lift his head up. "Easy boy," Cullen soothed the beast who snorted once more. For the next few hours, Phoenix calmly cleaned the horse's wound before using her gentle magic to slowly close the wound all while speaking softly to the horse. 

"There, all cleaned up and closed. It'll be a scar but who says a scar doesn't make a horse even more handsome?" Phoenix smiled as she patted the gelding's neck. 

"I've never seen someone whose so gentle with animals before, let alone someone whose a mage and speaks with the animals before healing them," A new voice spoke up as Phoenix and Cullen turned to see the man known as Master Dennet come walking up. 

"Well, you have now." Phoenix smiled as she looked to the man. 

"Indeed I have, I'm Master Dennet I'm the Inquisition's Stablemaster from now on."

"Phoenix," Phoenix introduced herself as Balto came sniffing around. "And this is Balto."

"A war hound? Are you Fereldan?"

Phoenix was preparing to speak when Cullen spoke for her, "No, She's from the Free Marches but she is soon to be Fereldan." Phoenix looked to Cullen and Dennet looked to the Commander as well. 

"Cullen?" Phoenix asked as Cullen looked towards her.

"I've been meaning to ask you but it kept slipping my mind. But will you marry me?" Cullen asked her as she felt the world stop. 

"Of course I will but..what brought this on?"

Cullen smiled then, "I want you," he moved towards Phoenix to rest a hand on her stomach, "and our child to have my name."

Phoenix smiled but it was Dennet who spoke, "Well I did have plans to ask if your love had any plans for work but if she expecting then I won't."

"I can still work, I just can't do certain things."

Dennet looked to Cullen who nodded, "She is an advisor as well, but she needs something to do other then just sit around and I'm not about to get in her way. If she wants to work then she can work."

"Very well, I'll likely need someone who can tend to the animals when they get hurt and considering that Lady Phoenix is the only one who can be near them when injured if she wants to I could use the help."

"You'd have my help regardless," She told him with a smile.

"And it is welcomed," Dennet told her as Phoenix smiled once more before all three began speaking of the care and feeding schedules of the mounts. But as evening drew nearer, Phoenix found herself walking into Josephine's office with a list and saw the woman speaking with Leliana. 

"Oh good, just the two I wanted to see!" Phoenix smiled as she walked up causing Leliana and Josie to look at her. 

"Phoenix! We were just speaking of you," Leliana smiled warmly in return.

"Now that's a scary thought," Phoenix replied as she looked towards Josephine, "Almost as scary as what I need to tell you, mostly you Josie."

"What could be so scary about what you have to tell me?" Josephine inquired as Phoenix finished walking up and handed over the list. 

"This and what you are going to do about it." Phoenix watched as Josephine read over the parchment before smirking as Josephine stopped and looked up towards her before looking back at the paper then back up at her. 

"You are.."

"Checked, had a healer double check and Cole confirmed it." Josephine nearly burst with excitement as she looked the list over with Leliana doing the same over her shoulder. "You should probably also prepare a small ceremony too."

"Why?" 

Leliana smiled this time, "I believe our Commander intends to make sure that Phoenix and the baby share his name." 

Phoenix nodded, "Indeed he does and he has every intention to make sure that our child is born."

"As will we," Leliana said as Phoenix smiled, but it was then that Cassandra made her appearance and was filled in on what was happening and decided to stay as all four women moved to sit by the warmth of the fire and discuss names for the coming baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update but here it is! Hope it was worth the wait.


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